


Unbroken

by lovealways21



Series: Everything Is Not What It Seems [2]
Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-12
Updated: 2013-08-14
Packaged: 2017-12-11 16:47:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 40,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/800923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovealways21/pseuds/lovealways21
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to The Middle.</p><p>The last thing Sadie wanted was to ever see any of them again. But when she gets a visit from Eames everything changes. She's forced to confront the feelings she's been trying so hard to forget. As if that wasn't hard enough on it's own, she suddenly finds herself helping find Arthur...who's gone missing. And the person who knows something about where he is, is the last person Sadie would've expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Return of the Past

**Author's Note:**

> This is the sequel to The Middle that I mentioned I was working on at the end of TM.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter song; Outta My Head by Ashlee Simpson
> 
> "(What?)  
> Is that all you got to say?  
> (What? What?)  
> You're rubbing me the wrong way  
> (See your lips moving)  
> But I don't catch a word you say  
> (Shut up your chatter)  
> I need for you to go away."
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Inception or its characters. I only own Sadie.

1 month, 2 weeks, 5 days, 28 minutes, and 50 seconds...

The current amount of time that Sadie had spent trying to move on from what had happened. She tried to move on from her feelings for Arthur. From her very confusing feelings for Eames. From the betrayal by Ariadne, her own cousin. And not only their betrayals but her dad's as well. All four of them had betrayed her in one way or another. None of them had any right to invade her mind like they had. At all.

1 month, 2 weeks, 5 days, 31 minutes, and 50 seconds...

Coincidentally, the exact amount of time that it took for _him_ to show up, far from invited, at the night club where she worked. Him showing up was all it took to send all of that time trying to move on and restart her life over again as a single, independent, no man necessary woman straight to hell and back again. All of that time was shot to hell and Sadie was not the least bit thrilled about it.

**~unbroken~**

Sadie placed the drink on the bar and faked a smile at the guy who picked it up. She looked at the clock and sighed. There was still another hour left before Mansion closed for the night and Sadie couldn't wait. It was 4am and although she had to clean up the bar, it wasn't her turn to close up, so she'd be home and in bed by 5:30 and to her that was a silver lining.

She was suddenly stolen away from her own thoughts by the sound of someone calling her name. It was hard to tell who it was over the loud music filling the club so she looked over towards the other end of the bar where the voice came from. Her throat went dry instantly as her breath was caught in her throat, her eyes widened, and her jaw dropped.

It was _him_. Or the other him, depending on how a person looked at it.

It took Sadie a few moments to get her composure back together, but once she did she quickly walked over to where he was sitting. A glare on her face. He was not someone she wanted to see right now. Especially when she was finally beginning to move on from the past. She stopped abruptly when she was in front of him.

"What the hell are you doing here, Eames?" she asked angrily. "Most importantly, how did you even get in here?" she asked without giving him a chance to answer her first question.

"I can be quite convincing when I want to be," Eames answered, wearing that smirk on his face that at one time made Sadie want to melt; but now it only made her want to slap the smirk right off of his smug face.

Sadie rolled her eyes. "Why are you here?" she asked, not in the mood for him being smug.

Eames ignored her and looked her over. Well, he looked her top half over since she was standing behind the bar with her lower half out of sight. His expressions changed and he raised an eyebrow, "I see that you dyed your hair." A moment later, he added, "Brunette looks good on you."

"Flattery will get you no where, Mr. Eames," Sadie said in slight disgust, shaking her head. "And yeah, I did," she confirmed the obvious. "When I moved back here I felt as if I needed a small makeover with the memo that bastard guys need to stay the hell away from me," Sadie explained to him. Then she added after some thought, "But apparently since you're here now, I'm gonna assume it hasn't done it's job properly."

Eames didn't say anything for a moment, but then said, "Alright, I kinda deserved that."

Sadie laughed, the sound of her laughter conveying her disbelief. "Kinda? Kinda deserved that?" she asked him rhetorically. "You more than kind of deserved that. You played me just as much as Arthur and Ariadne did!"

Eames replied nonchalantly, "It was my job to. I take my jobs seriously."

In a tone a lot more hurt than it should've sounded, Sadie muttered under her breath, "Yeah, of course you do."

Eames noticed the tone of her voice instantly and with an eyebrow raised he asked, "Why do you sound so disappointed by that?"

Sadie froze and said nothing, avoiding eye contact with Eames. To be honest, she wasn't sure what she should say. She didn't want to say the wrong thing. But at the same wasn't saying nothing a worse thing to do...or not do depending on the way it was looked at. She immediately sighed a breath of relief when someone at the other end of the bar called for her to get them a drink.

Sadie looked at Eames and told him, "I'm at work, Eames. I can't talk anymore."

Then she turned and made her way to the other end of the bar, leaving Eames there to do whatever or think whatever he wanted. Sadie glanced behind her only once after walking away from him. When she looked back that one time she noticed that the seat Eames was previously sitting in was now occupied by someone else. Another breath of relief escaped between Sadie's lips.

**~unbroken~**

It was closing time and Sadie was wiping down the bar when she felt a presence in the room with her. She was the only employee in the bar area at the time so she knew it wasn't one of the other bartenders she worked with. Sadie stopped wiping down the bar and looked up out of curiosity. She didn't see anyone there, though, so she went back to wiping down the bar.

"You never answered my question from earlier," a voice spoke up suddenly.

Sadie jumped and looked up, one of her hands already clutching her chest where her rapidly beating heart was trying to pound its way out of her. "Jeez! Scare me half to death why don't you!" she exclaimed, slightly angry that she'd been snuck up on.

Eames ignored her and instead repeated, "You never answered my question from earlier, love."

Sadie's breath caught in her throat and she couldn't seem to say anything at that moment. Therefore, she went back to cleaning the bar in order to ignore Eames until he gave up and left. Sadie realized how stupid that thought was, knowing fully well that he wouldn't leave until she answered his question, but she stuck with it. It was all she could do not to lose control and answer said question he was referring to.

She wasn't completely sure what question Eames was referring to exactly, but she did have an idea of which one it was. If it was in fact _that_ question, then she really did not want to answer it. Not now, not when she was suppose to hate him. The answer would make her buckle and all of her resolve would crumble into pieces. That much she did know.

Eames suddenly grabbed her arm, forcing her to stop what she was doing and look up at him. Getting impatient he said for the third time that night, "You never answered my question from earlier, love."

By then Sadie couldn't ignore him any longer, adverted her eyes from him or anywhere around him, and whispered, "Maybe I thought you'd be different than the one I heard so many stories about. Maybe I thought you'd be different and notice how I felt...or how I thought I felt about you without me having to tell you."

Eames let go of her arm quickly as soon as she'd finished saying what she was coaxed into saying.

Sadie looked up and was shocked to see him walking away. "Where are you going?!" she found herself asking before she could stop herself.

"Somewhere far away from here," was Eames' reply.

Sadie felt her blood start to boil then, and she yelled after him, "You can not just run away now! You came here! You wanted to know!"

Eames stopped dead in his tracks and turned around. In a tone of voice that matched her own he yelled back, "You wanted Arthur! Just Arthur! Not me! Keep it that way!"

Sadie's eyes widened and she felt like jumping over the bar and beating some sense into him. She had four older brothers, if she could take them on so easily then Eames would be a piece of cake, even despite his size. But Sadie shocked herself when instead of jumping the bar she blurted out as she walked around the bar, "Actually, I wanted you both."

Eames' eyes widened shocked by the new revelation.

Sadie didn't give him much time at all to think of anything to say back and goes on, "Well, at least I did before I found out the truth. But I only acted on my feelings for Arthur and not you, too, because I felt safe with my choice."

"Sadie..." Eames started to say a shocking hint of pain in his voice.

"We talked about it," Sadie cut him off and confessed to him.

Eames' eyes widened. "What?"

"Arthur and I briefly talked about it," Sadie told him again. "I told him that I may have felt something for you, too, but then I got kidnapped and I found out the truth about everything. I hated both of you then and I suddenly wanted nothing more to do with either of you. You both betrayed me. You both betrayed my trust, and the sucky thing is...Arthur knew the truth because we were together for a few weeks and he's suffering with the fact that he hurt me so badly. But you...you didn't know and therefore you're not suffering. Until now," Sadie explained suddenly feeling the need for some sort of revenge on Eames as well; And what better way to do that than to get the last word in.

"Sadie..." Eames started to say.

Sadie shook her head, cutting him off once again as she turned around and headed back behind the bar. "Get out, Eames! Just get out! Go away and don't ever come back!" she demanded as she returned to finishing wiping down the bar.

It was a few moments later that the door slammed, almost literally shaking the walls of the entire club, and Sadie was left all alone again. Sadie threw the cleaning rag down and leaned against the bar as she tried to regain her composure. A few minutes passed before she was able to pick the rag back up and finish cleaning the bar with no further interruptions. Although, it took her twice as long to finish cleaning the bar because her mind was racing with so many new thoughts and questions.

Her life had once again become complicated due to her past having caught up with her.


	2. Arthur's Missing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter song; Low by Kelly Clarkson
> 
> "I walk out of this darkness  
> With no sense of regret  
> And I go with a clear conscience  
> We both know that you can’t say that  
> Here's to show  
> For all the time I loved you so…  
> So...
> 
> Have you ever been low?  
> Have you ever had a friend that let you down so?  
> When the truth came out  
> Were you the last to know?  
> Were you left out in the cold?  
> What you did was low."
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Inception or its characters. I only own Sadie.

It was around seven in the morning when Ariadne awoke to the sound of the door belonging to the room next to hers shutting rather loudly. Ariadne wasn't a morning person, persay, but she was on a job so it didn't bother her as much as it would had she had to be in class at a certain time. However, that didn't give others the go ahead to wake her up.

Why did some people insist on being so rudely loud when staying at hotels? It's not like they were at their own home where whoever they lived with was probably used to being woken up so abruptly to unneccessary noise. She'd never understood it herself, and she probably never would. Then again, it was hard to know unless she put herself in the person's shoes, but she wouldn't gain anything from it.

Ariadne sat up and looked around the room, allowing her eyes to adjust themselves to the light that the morning sun provided through the slightly open shades. When she was awake enough and she was sure her eyes wouldn't betray her she got out of bed and proceeded to change her clothes, brush her teeth, and start getting ready for the day.

After she was finished with her morning ritual, she made her way over to where the door leading into the adjoining room was placed. It was currently closed but had been left unlocked. When Arthur had booked the rooms earlier that week, he had ended up getting two adjoining rooms, the ones that he and Ariadne ended up taking, while Eames got his own across the hall.

She knocked on it softly, loud enough to be heard through the door, but not loud enough that anyone in the rooms surrounding hers would hear the knock through the wall. A few seconds passed and yet there was no response. That was definitely weird. Arthur was usually awake by this time when they were working on a job. He took his jobs very seriously and wasted no more time than was necessary on anything other than the job and making sure that everything would go and did go as planned.

Ariadne tried one more time and still got no reply. She reached down and turned the door knob, twisting and pulling it open. She was met with the other door closed as well. Ariadne reached for the knob and was relieved to find it unlocked when she twisted it and pushed the door open slowly. As she looked around, she noticed that nothing was out of place. The bed was made, which wasn't shocking, but something just didn't feel right. Clue number one.

Ariadne stepped back into her own room, closing both doors, and walked over to the bedside table. There she grabbed her phone and dialed Arthur's number. She was even more surprised when it went straight to voicemail. She hung up and tried calling him again. Like last time it went straight to voicemail. Definitely weird. Arthur never turned his phone off and yet all signs were pointing to it being turned off. Clue number two.

There was something very fishy about the whole situation. Nothing added up right. Ariadne couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this than she wanted to believe. Maybe his phone had died and he just forgot to charge it? Yeah, nothing about that thought made any logical sense to her. She knew Arthur way better than that.

Ariadne walked to the door and opened it, stepping out into the hall. Thoughts of Arthur and whatever was going on momentarily got pushed to the back of her head when she heard footsteps coming from down the hall and turned to see who it was. She was surprised yet again that morning when she saw that it was Eames, wearing the same clothes from the night before.

Ariadne found herself unnecessarily asking, "Are you just getting in?"

Eames just looked at her with a look that said, " _Surely you already know the answer to that._ "

"Where have you been?" Ariadne asked curiously as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"It doesn't matter," Eames answered almost too quickly, cluing Ariadne in instantly to where he'd been.

It didn't take a genius to figure out where he'd been after he said that.

"You went to see her didn't you?" Ariadne asked with a knowing look on her face.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Eames lied easily, even though it was just as easy for Ariadne to see right through it.

"Don't lie to me," Ariadne reprimanded. "You went to see Sadie, didn't you?" she asked rhetorically.

"So what if I did?" Eames asked in a daring tone of voice, caring Ariadne to say something about what he did.

"You knew it wasn't the right thing to do!" Ariadne exclaimed, shaking her head in slight disappointment.

Eames laughed and reminded her, "Last time I checked, I never do the right thing."

Ariadne rolled her eyes when she realized that the conversation was going to go nowhere because talking to Eames was a lot of times like talking to a solid, brick wall. He did what he wanted when he wanted to and he didn't care what others thought about it or how they'd react to whatever he did. Well, nine times out of ten, anyways. Even the toughest guys have their down moments.

"Fine, have it your way, " Ariadne said with an exasperated sigh. After that she decided to change the subject, "Have you seen or heard from Arthur recently?"

Eames frowned slightly and answered, "Not since yesterday evening."

Ariadne's brows furrowed in confusion. "Hm...well that's weird."

Raising an eyebrow, Eames questioned, "He isn't in his room?"

Ariadne shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. "No. And he's not answering his phone either. It keeps going straight to his voicemail."

"That doesn't add up. at all. It's not like Arthur to turn his phone off or even forget to charge it."

Ariadne nodded her head in agreement and admitted, "Hence, the reason why I'm beginning to worry." Ariadne dialed Arthur's number again. "Let me try calling again."

Voicemail.

"Nope, nothing," Ariadne sighed irritatedly.

"Maybe he snuck off to see Sadie," Eames suggested after a moment of silence.

Ariadne shook her head and gave him a weird look. "He's the one who made us all agree to keep our distance from her in the first place. I highly doubt he'd break his own rule."

Eames chuckled and said, "Need I remind you that it was him who said we should keep our distance and leave Sadie be when she told us all to go to hell all that time ago. And need I remind you that it was also him who got us this job, forced us...in his own way...both to agree to helping on the job and brought us here."

Ariadne thought for a moment before relaxing a bit. "Alright, point made."

A moment of silence found its way between them.

"Well, since you've already gone to see her and you love breaking rules so much, you should go see if she'll help us find him or if she knows where he is by any chance," Ariadne spoke, breaking the silence.

Eames shook his head. "I can't. You'll have to."

"What? No!" Ariadne exclaimed. "Why can't you?"

"She told me to go and never come back," Eames answered. "I'd rather not make her hate me more than she already seems to. Besides, now's your chance to try and start patching up your relationship with her."

Ariadne shook her head in what seemed to be some form or another of defeat. "I suppose you're right. Fine, I'll go." She sighed, taking off down the hallway without another word.

The last thing she heard as she turned the corner was the sound of Eames' hotel room door shutting.

**~unbroken~**

Sadie stumbled to the door as another soft knock came from the other side of it. Who the hell was here at 7:30 in the morning? Everyone she knew was well aware of the "no knocking on her door before eleven" of hers. Or at least everyone she knew should know. She unlocked the door and swung it open angrily. The last person she expected to find standing there was the one who was standing there. Ariadne.

"Sorry for waking you up this early," was the first thing that came out of Ariadne' mouth. "I know I am breaking your rule, and I really am sorry for doing it."

Sadie stood there dumbfounded for a moment or two. Well, it shouldn't be as shocking as it was quickly turned into. Eames had showed up at Mansion earlier, so it was just a matter of time before Ariadne showed back up into her life again as well. The only one left now was Arthur. Oh, boy. Sadie couldn't wait to see how he would end up waltzing back into her life.

"Can I come in?" Ariadne asked.

Sadie shrugged her shoulders and stepped out of the way to let her by.

"Thank you," Ariadne smiled briefly as she walked past Sadie and went to sit down on the couch.

"What are you doing here, Ariadne?" Sadie asked in an irritated and angry tone as she closed the door and turned around to look at Ariadne.

"I know that you pretty much said that you wanted nothing to do with me anymore, or Eames or Arthur, and believe me I wouldn't be here right now if it wasn't important because you know how much I love you and don't want to make you hate me more than you already do..." Ariadne was rambling on with no stopping point seeming to be anywhere near by.

"I don't hate you, Ariadne," Sadie interrupted, causing the woman in question to stop her rambling abruptly and stare at her in shock. "I'm extremely betrayed and hurt by you, but I don't hate you," Sadie informed her.

"Oh," was all Ariadne could think of and manage to say.

"Why are you here, Ariadne?" Sadie asked once again. "And get straight to the point this time."

"Well, I was wondering if you by any chance may have seen or heard from...umm...Arthur," Ariadne said as her eyes drifted away from Sadie.

Sadie raised an eyebrow, asking, "Why would I have seen or heard from Arthur?"

"I thought maybe...you know what, nevermind," Ariadne said as she waved it off.

Sadie didn't buy it. "Something is going on, isn't it, Ariadne?" she asked, crossing her arms as she walked over to stand in front of her cousin.

"Umm...well, Arthur's kind of...well, how should I put this...umm, MIA," Ariadne said, glancing momentarily up at her before going back to looking down at her hands in her lap.

"He's MIA? Arthur, MIA? I don't buy it." Sadie shook her head.

"But he is."

Sadie sighed and yawned, suddenly reminded that she was still very tired. She wanted to go back to bed so she asked, "How does this have anything to do with me?"

Ariadne looked up at Sadie with eyes full of hope and answered, "Well, I was hoping you could help us figure out where he went without telling anyone."

Sadie's brows furrowed in confusion and she asked, "Why exactly do you need my help? How can I even help?"

"You know Miami and it's residents better than Eames and I ever could," Ariadne pointed out.

Sadie nodded and move to sit down on the other end of the couch.

"Yeah, I do," she answered. "But still, what does that have to do with anything?"

"Obviously he is here in Miami somewhere. You work at the hottest night club so you know many people I'm sure, and..." Ariadne trails off.

"Long explanation short, yes, I do have connections and Arthur definitely stands out from the usual Miami crowd," Sadie replied. Surely someone's seen him or knows something. Well, that's if he just got lost, but I'm sure that's not the case," Sadie said with implication in her voice.

"What are you implying, Sadie?" Ariadne asked, not quite sure where Sadie was getting at.

"Maybe it's more than him just going missing," Sadie answered suggestively.

"You don't think...?" Ariadne started to ask, but then stopped mid question when she realized she wasn't so sure what exactly she was gonna ask.

"In the field that you all work in there's bound to be someone always out for one of you, so it's possible that his past could've caught up with him here," Sadie told Ariadne with a slight shrug, a reason to be worried about the situation not really registering at the moment.

"But he's the best at what he does. He's always being cautious ab..." Ariadne was saying when Sadie interrupted her.

Sadie shook her head and said, "It doesn't matter. Miami may be a very big city but like I said before...Arthur pretty much sticks out like a working flashlight in a dark room around here."

After that, there was not anymore talking. For what seemed like an eternity Ariadne and Sadie just sat there quietly on opposite ends of the couch.

"I should go," Ariadne said, suddenly breaking the silence when it became too much for her.

Sadie nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you probably should."

"I'm staying at the Raleigh Hotel. Room 214," Ariadne said, standing up and making her way to the door. "Just come by if anything comes up or...yeah, just come by if you want to."

"Alright," Sadie said from her spot on the couch.

Ariadne smiled briefly back at Sadie before she turned and left. "It was good to see you again, Sadie."

"Yeah. You, too," Sadie whispered as the door closed behind Ariadne.


	3. Secrets and Lies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter song; Hole by Kelly Clarkson
> 
> "I'm so far from where I need to be  
> I've given up on faith, on everything  
> All I want, all I need  
> Is some peace
> 
> There's a hole  
> Inside of me  
> It's so cold  
> Slowly killing me
> 
> Secret  
> Eating at the core of me  
> Shut off  
> Trusting all the lies I breathe."
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Inception or its characters. I only own Sadie and Nate.

Sadie rolled over in bed and opened her eyes just enough to check the time on the alarm clock. It was a few minutes past noon. Sadie moaned, still tired, and buried her head into her pillow. She laid there for a while longer until the sound of her cell phone ringing hit her ears. Groaning irritatedly, Sadie rolled out of bed and ran into the living room where her cell phone was plugged in to charge.

Grabbing it off the kitchen island counter, she pushed the talk button and brought it up to her ear. "Hello," she greeted groggily and still half asleep.

"Long time no hear, Sadie," the person on the other end of the line spoke.

Sadie's eyes widened instantly out of shock and her breath caught in her throat. " _Oh god, no!_ " she thought to herself, pulling out a chair and sitting down at the island. She gulped down the lump that had suddenly formed in the middle of her throat, wondering if by chance her still half asleep mind was playing tricks on her, before she asked, "Nate?"

"You do recognize my voice," he stated happily.

"Of course I do," Sadie replied. Then under her breath followed up with, "Unfortunately."

Nate didn't say anything else right away. He took his time before he said suggestively, "You still think of me from time to time then, I assume?"

Sadie could just sense the smirk that was surely on his face. She scoffed. "You definitely assume wrong."

"Is that so?" he asked.

"Get to the point Nate," Sadie told him suddenly, no longer wanting to play the game between them that was being played. "Why are you calling?"

Nate didn't even hesitate as he answered, "I want to see you."

Sadie didn't speak for a moment but then asked, trying to hide the discomfort in her voice, "Why are you in Miami?"

"Meet up with me and I'll let you know," Nate answered cryptically.

"Do you honestly believe that I'd meet up with you after everything you did and hid from me? I want nothing to do with you. Get that through your thick skull, Nate!" Sadie exclaimed suddenly as she jumped out of the chair and started to pace around her apartment living room.

As if things weren't bad enough already, Nate took Sadie by surprise even more when he suddenly said, "I happen to know where your friend is."

Sadie froze midstep and couldn't stop herself from shaking in either anger, fear, or possibly both. "What are you talking about?" she dared to ask.

"I know where Arthur is," he reiterated his previous statement.

Sadie's head began to spin upon hearing _his_ name slip from Nate's mouth. It was as if a brick had been dropped onto her head and her world had been shattered out of the blue. "Nate, what did you do?"

"Come meet up with me and don't tell Ariadne or Eames that you're coming," Nate ordered, ignoring Sadie's question.

Sadie found herself wondering how Nate even knew about Eames, but she didn't ask when she figured it out on her own. If he knew Arthur than obviously he knew Eames, too. And Ariadne was related to her so that's how Nate knew about her. Instead she asked, "And if I do tell them about this?"

"I'm sure you can put two and two together."

**~unbroken~**

The elevator doors opened and Sadie stepped out. She didn't know why she was there. But no matter the reason, she was. That's all that mattered, right? But honestly, she couldn't tell Ariadne about the call with Nate earlier. If he found out that she did then...well, Sadie definitely could put two and two together. She did _not_ want that to happen; no matter how much she was suppose to hate Arthur because of what he'd done to her.

Sadie was contemplating going to meet up with Nate. A part of her was screaming to her not no but hell no. The other part of her was screaming yes, most definitely yes. Wouldn't it make her a bad person if she didn't go meet Nate? Especially now that she knew Nate knew where Arthur was. If she didn't go and something really bad happened to Arthur...wouldn't that make her partially at fault?

It's not like she'd be the on causing him harm directly. But indirectly? Indirectly she'd mentally feel like an accessory to the fact because she stood on the sidelines and did nothing about it. She wasn't sure she could handle that. Not now, not in a month, not in a year...not ever. But at the same time she didn't exactly forgive Arthur for what he'd done the month before. Though that didn't mean he deserved to be left for dead, right?

Sadie walked down the long second floor hallway thinking about what she was going to say and do. She already figured out that she had no real clue why she was there. Ariadne had told her what room she was staying in and at what hotel so that's where she found her feet taking her when she had gotten off the phone with Nate and needed to get some fresh air by taking a walk.

She was almost at Ariadne's hotel room door when the door to the room across from hers opened. Sadie froze when she saw Eames coming out of the room. She was so not ready for this. Ever since earlier that morning when Eames showed up uninvited at Mansion and later she ended up confessing her confusing feelings for him, she was even more confused. She didn't have too much time to think about any of it, but she wasn't complaining.

Sadie pivoted slowly to move herself to face Eames. They stood there staring at each other, not saying a word for some time. The tension that was bouncing back and forth between them could've been cut by Jason's machete.

"Sadie," Eames said as means of starting a conversation.

"Why are you all even here in Miami?" Sadie asked, skipping straight past the pleasantries.

"It was Arthur's idea," Eames answered, not wasting any time throwing Arthur to the wolves...so to speak.

"What do you mean it was his idea?" she wondered, truly curious.

"He wanted to keep an eye on you," Eames told her.

"He wanted to keep an eye on me?" Sadie asked, returning to contemplating whether she should go meet up with Nate to try and save Arthur or not.

Eames nodded and explained, "He took a job here in Miami just in case you found out any of us were here. That way he could use the job as a cover up for why we're really here."

"So you're saying that even after I told him...well all of you...to go to hell, he still had you all follow me here?" Sadie stated more so than asked,

Eames shook his head. "He wanted to make sure that you were okay and that you healed without a problem. Also he wanted to make sure you didn't run into any problems if you were to go to the hospital to get the bullet taken out."

Sadie raised an eyebrow upon hearing the last part of what Eames said. "Wait...Arthur was the one who took care of my hospital bill?"

"Yeah, he was," Eames said. "It was his own personal way to somewhat make up for his part in what happened."

"That does sound like him," Sadie said with a sigh.

Her eyes dropped to the floor then and she refused to look back up. It was then that Sadie decided she'd take Nate up on his offer and meet up with him. If Arthur cared enough to keep an eye on her even after she told him to go to hell and pretty much that she hated him, then the least she could do was meet up with Nate and see if she could somehow get Arthur back. It really was the least she could do.

"I have got to go," Sadie said as she turned on her heels and retreated quickly down the hallway, pulling out her cellphone and dialing Nate's number.

**~unbroken~**

Sadie paced back and forth at the dock. Nate could be there any minute. Sadie was using what time she had left before he showed up to mentally prepare herself for seeing him again after so long. This was certainly not how she had been hoping to spend her day. But it's funny how that had turned out in the end. Cause' here she was.

"If it isn't my favorite girl in the world." Nate smirked as he walked up to her.

Just the sound of his voice was enough to make all of the hair on Sadie's body stand up.

Sadie took a deep breath and said, "Let's just skip straight to the point. Where's Arthur?"

Nate just stood there and laughed as he crossed his arms over his chest. "You don't really think it's going to be that simple. Do you, Sadie?"

Sadie rolled her eyes and shook her head in disbelief. "One sure can hope," she answered followed up with an agitated sigh.

"Well I'm sorry to burst your bubble, babe, but it's not going to be that easy."

"Don't call me _babe_ , Nate," Sadie seethed as anger overwhelmed her all of a sudden.

Nate smirked and stepped closer to her. "Feisty! Just the way I like you most."

Sadie rolled her eyes again and bit her tongue to make sure she did not reply to him with an even worse insult. Doing so would only end up making the reason they were really here be pushed away longer. That was the last thing Sadie wanted. Hell, she didn't even want to be there at all. But she was doing this for Arthur. Well, okay...mainly for herself so that she wouldn't have any reason to feel guilty for the rest of her life. But still.

"Why are you doing this? Why did you take Arthur?" Sadie asked, crossing her arms and holding herself tightly; she was preparing herself for his answer.

"Because he took something that _belongs_ to _me_ ," Nate answered as his smirk turned into a frown.

Sadie raised an eyebrow and returned his words as a question, "He took something that _belongs_ to you?"

"You," he said simply, in an extremely possessive tone.

Sadie looked at him in disgust and scoffed. "I'm not yours!" Sadie exclaimed as she lifted her hand and slapped him across the face. "I _don't_ belong to you!" she spat while she turned to storm away.

It was obvious she was just wasting her time and that this wasn't really going to go anywhere like she had hoped it would. She flinched as she felt a hand grip her arm tightly enough to leave a bruise. Then she was spun around and she was face to face with him. There were only inches between them. Not enough inches as far as Sadie was concerned.

"You. Were. Mine," Nate hissed, emphasizing each word that passed through his lips. "You. Will. Be. Mine. Again."

"Let go of me, Nate!" Sadie seethed as she tried to pull her arm out of his grip.

He only tightened his grip even tighter. There was no doubt about it that Sadie would have a bruise later to prove that this had in fact happened. Bruises in the shape of fingers and handprints didn't exactly do well at lying to anybody. Not that it would matter in this situation. As much as Sadie would love to go to the cops and lie saying that her ex attacked her, she couldn't. Not if she ever wanted to see Arthur again.

"If I can't have you, then no one will be able to have you," Nate spoke in a matter-of-fact tone and let go of her arm moments later.

Sadie pulled her arm back and her hand went straight to where his had just been wrapped around her arm. She slowly and soothingly rubbed her arm, not that it would really do anything. But it was just a weird and completely uncontrollable instinct at the time.

"I'll call you to set up another meeting," Nate said while he ran a hand through his hair.

"That's it?" Sadie asked in disbelief. "You called me here to give me a bruise in the shape of a handprint and tell me that you took Arthur because you're acting like a little kid on the playground whose toy was stolen from him? Un-fucking-beleiveable!"

"Say what you want, Sadie. But this is going to go down exactly how I say it will. And as a plus, the more meetings we have, the more I get to see you." Nate smirked once again. "I'll be in touch, _babe._ " He laughed as Sadie's eyes turned what she was sure to be dark black and he turned and walked away.

Something was off. There was something Nate was hiding from her. There was no way that that was the only reason why he was doing what he was doing. Too many things about the situation and Nate himself didn't add up. Sadie couldn't help but feel as if there was more to Nate than not only meets the eye, but more to everything he's ever said to her. There definitely had to be something that she had missed this whole time and she was determined to find out what it was.

Once Nate was out of sight and hearing distance, Sadie pulled out her phone and dialed an all too familiar number.

"Hello?" the voice on the other end said in a questioning tone.

"Hey, I need you to do some research for me," Sadie said to the person on the other end of the line.

"Okay. On what exactly?"

"You mean on who," Sadie corrected. "On Nate Chandler."

"Your ex?"

"Yes, him. Find out everything on him, on his mom, on his dad...you name it...find it all out," Sadie commanded.

"Will do."

"Thank you."

"Anytime."

Sadie hung up the phone and placed it into her purse. A plan formed itself in her head and she had already gotten the research step into play. Now it was time to move on to step two. Sadie smirked to herself as she turned and started walking down the dock in the opposite direction than Nate had. She knew what she had to do next and where she had to go.

**~unbroken~**

Sadie lifted her hand up and knocked on the door. Her attention was focused on the black and blue hand print shaped mark that was to no surprise beginning to reveal itself more and more on her arm. A few tears fell down her face, enough that they'd be noticed as soon as the door was opened and the person on the other side saw her face. She stood there for only a few seconds before the door opened.

Eames was smiling when he opened the door. "Sadie, I didn't expect for a visit from you again so soon." His smile fell when he became aware of the state she was in. "Sadie? what happened?" he asked, concern clear in his voice.

"Can I come in?" Sadie asked, nodding her head behind him.

"Of course," he answered as he moved to let her by.

"Thank you." She smiled briefly as she made her way into the room.

She sat down on the edge of the king sized bed and wiped some of the tears off of her face. The sound of the door closing filled the room. Then the bed next to her was sinking in as Eames sat down next to her. Sadie found herself smiling a little at how close he was to her. It made her feel...safe...was that the right word? Did it even really matter?

"I just had a meeting with Nate," Sadie said after a minute or two of silence between them.

Eames looked over at her and raised an eyebrow, "As In your ex?"

Sadie nodded. "Apparently he followed me here. Surely not for the right reasons but..." Sadie trailed off. "I really know how to pick guys, don't I?" she joked after a moment.

Sadie was happy when Eames laughed at her joke. It was one of the things she liked about him. It was weird because she never really paid any attention to a person's laugh before. But there was always an exception to everything. And to this certain thing the exception was most definitely Eames...and of course his laugh that she weirdly liked so much.

A shiver coursed through Sadie when Eames brushed his fingers over the bruise on her arm and asked, "Is he the one who did this to you?"

Sadie shook her head yes and sighed. "When I went to walk away he grabbed my arm and pulled me back. Then when I tried to pull away he tightened his grip, and now I have got a bruise forming. I wonder how I'll explain that to anyone who asks why there's a handprint shaped bruise on my arm when I'm at work later." She let out a short laugh and then it was silent in the room again.

"Why'd he want to meet with you?"

Sadie wanted to tell him, but then Nate's words from earlier rang in her mind, " _Come meet up with me and don't tell Ariadne or Eames that you're coming._ "

Oh god! She'd already said too much.

"I can't tell you why. I've already told you too much."

"What weren't you suppose to tell me?"

"That I had a meeting with Nate earlier. He said not to tell you or Ariadne about it," Sadie said not realizing she shouldn't have said anything until she already had.

"How does he know who we are?" Eames asked as he got up abruptly and stood looking down at her.

Sadie followed suit and maneuvered her way towards the door. "I have no idea," she lied easily.

"You're lying," Eames called her out without a second thought.

Sadie shook her head and protested, "No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm no..." Sadie started to protest again when there was a knock at the door. Sadie pivoted in an instant and threw open the door. Anything was better than having to continue this conversation. Well everything except seeing that it was Ariadne standing on the other side.

~unbroken~

Ariadne was on her way back to her hotel room when she heard voices coming from Eames' room. The voices sounded a lot like Eames' and Sadie's. Out of curiosity, Ariadne made her way over to the other side of the hallway and knocked on Eames' hotel room door. It was a bit of a surprise to her when moments later the door was thrown open and Sadie was standing there.

"Sadie? What are you doing here?" Ariadne asked, surprised to see her there when the door opened.

"Umm...I was out and just didn't feel like going home at the time and came here. But now I have changed my mind, and I'm gonna go home," Sadie answered as she quickly ran past Ariadne and down the hall, disappearing around the corner.

Ariadne was extremely confused when she turned and looked at Eames. "What was all that about?" she asked.

"She met up with Nate and then came here," Eames answered.

Ariadne's eyes widened at Nate's name. "He's here? In Miami? He followed her here? What kind of sick person does that?"

"We did," Eames pointed out.

Ariadne shook the point off as if it was no big deal. "That's different."

"How so?"

"Because we did it because we care about her. Him...well...who knows what's going on in that crazy, obsessive mind of his?"

"Nothing good that's for sure."

"So did Sadie tell you what the meet up was about?"

Eames shook his head. "She seemed scared when I asked her about it. Then she lied to me."

"What did she lie about?"

"She knows more than she was willing to tell me," he said. "Something isn't right about any of this."

"What are you implying?"

"It's obviously not a coincidence that Arthur goes missing and Nate shows up wanting to meet up with Sadie for some reason that Sadie is being cautious about."

"You don't think that Nate..." Ariadne started.

She didn't even need to finish her sentence for Eames to reply with, "That is exactly what I'm thinking. Nate is the common denominator in both situations."

"But why would Sadie lie for him?"

Eames shrugged. "Honestly, your guess is as good as mine at this point."

Well that changed things. That _definitely_ changed things. A lot.


	4. Stranger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter song; Stranger by Hilary Duff
> 
> "There's no kindness in your eyes  
> The way you look at me, it's just not right  
> I can tell what's going on this time  
> There's a stranger in my life
> 
> You're not the person that I once knew  
> Are you scared to let 'em know it's you?  
> If they could only see you like I do  
> Then they would see a stranger too."
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Inception or its characters. I only own Sadie and Nate.

The past 24 hours had been complete and total chaos. Sadie wasn't sure what had changed in so little time. Yesterday at this time she'd been getting back to being herself again, becoming independent again without a man by her side, finally starting to move on from the past two years of her life. The between now and then, everyone from her past had found their ways back into her life.

It had all been too much for just one day. Therefore, Sadie found herself calling into work sick. Surely she wasn't the first person to ever call in fake sick to work. And it wasn't like there weren't any other bartenders who could fill in for her. It did suck, though, that she'd be giving up hundreds of dollars, but there wasn't much she could do about that.

Sadie took a shot from the bottle of Peach Schnapps in her hand and placed it in front of her on the coffee table. She was about to sit back on the couch when her cell phone rang. As she picked it up and read the Caller ID her heart sunk and at the same time her blood began to boil. Why was _he_ calling her? She hadn't talked to her dad since the day she'd returned to Miami and had a heated argument with him that ended up with her telling him off and subsequently kicking him out of her life.

Sadie took a deep breath and pushed the talk button on the phone, then brought it up to her ear. She didn't say a single word, though. There was no way in hell that she'd be the first one to speak after almost a month and a half of not seeing, talking to, or hearing from her dad. She hadn't exactly forgiven him for his choices either.

"Sadie?" he spoke in a questioning tone after what felt like an eternity.

"What do you want?" Sadie asked in a tone that was way more bitter than she had intended on it being.

"You are still angry, I take it."

"You think?" Sadie deadpanned, rolling her eyes and scoffing into the phone.

"I definitely deserve that."

"You're damn right you do! But we have already covered that before. There is no need to do it again. So what do you want?"

"Landon may have mentioned that you called him yesterday."

Sadie rolled her eyes again. "Of course that brother of mine told you."

"He's just worried about you. Or whatever it is you've got planned."

"So he had you call me for what? Why didn't he just call me and say this himself?"

"Because I insisted that I be the one to call you," her dad informed her. "We need to somehow fix things between us as much as we can."

"Are you going to finally answer all of my questions?"

"You know, I can't." He sighed. "There is still more danger out there. It's not the right time to tell you everything."

"Then no, I'm not ready to fix things between us."

"Sadie, please stop being so difficult, will you?"

"No, dad! I will not stop acting how I am acting!" she exclaimed. "Either you stop keeping things from me or I am not going to have anything else to do with you."

"Sadie, please. Let's at least meet up somewhere later this afternoon and see if we can at least get on the same page."

"Why should I?"

"Because we both need each other to help with a certain problem...a problem that we have in common."

Sadie waited and thought about it for a minute before she said, "I'll think about it."

"You know how to get in touch with me."

"I do." Sadie's attention was stolen by the sound of a knock on the door. "I have to go, someone's at the door."

She hung up without giving her dad a chance to say anything else and put the phone down. Sadie stood up, grabbed the bottle of Schnapps from the coffee table and took a sip as she made her way to the door. She looked through the peep hole and was quite shocked to see Eames standing there.

Sadie's eyes widened and she backed quickly away from the door. Maybe if she didn't make a sound he'd go away. She backed up more and because she wasn't paying attention to what was behind her, she accidentally tripped over the coffee table, which produced a noise that was sure to be loud enough that Eames would hear it. Well there went that possibility.

"Sadie, I know that you are in there," Eames said from the other side of the door when Sadie didn't open the door.

"Damn it!" Sadie muttered under her breath as she walked back to the door, unlocking and opening it. "Come in." Sadie sighed, taking another sip from the Schnapps bottle. "Want some?" she offered, holding the bottle out to him.

He shook his head as he closed the door. "No, thank you."

Sadie shrugged her shoulders before plopping down on the couch. "Your loss."

"You don't look sick," Eames said thoughtfully, sitting down next to her.

Sadie turned her head and looked at him with a confused expression. "Huh?"

Eames nodded his head towards the bottle in her hands and asked, "Are you so drunk that you don't remember calling in sick to work?"

"Oh, right. _That._ " Sadie laughed and moved her hand in a motion that said it was really nothing. "Yeah, I just have a slight headache. I figured the loud music would only make it worse," Sadie lied as if it was no big deal and she did it all the time.

"And the alcohol is suppose to help with that?"

Sadie nodded and smiled, "It's a distraction."

"Only a short term distraction," Eames pointed out.

"Yeah, so?"

"Why did you really call in sick?"

Looking away from him, Sadie answered quietly, "I'm sure you know why."

"I might," he said. "But I'd rather hear it from you."

"Well, you're not going to," Sadie said, bringing the bottle up to her mouth and downing another sip of it; the liquid burned on it's way down and warmed her throat a bit. "Not tonight anyways."

There was a moment of silence, which was interrupted by Sadie's phone going off.

"For fuck's sake!" Sadie exclaimed as she practically jumped up, grabbed the phone and answered it. "Hello," she answered in frustration

"Hello to you, too, babe."

Sadie gritted her teeth at being called babe by him again, but couldn't say anything because Eames was right there. "Oh, it's you. What's up?" Sadie asked.

"I was hoping we could meet up somewhere in the next hour or so."

"That sounds like fun, " Sadie lied with fake enthusiasm. "But I may be a little late getting there," she informed him. "I have got somebody over right now."

"Is that somebody Eames?"

"Yes, it is."

Sadie could just hear the smirk in his voice as he asked, "You really do care for Arthur don't you? If you're so willing to send Eames away to come meet up with me...you must, right?"

Sadie didn't want to admit anything to Nate, afraid of what would happen if she did since everything was happening in the first place because of her having been with Arthur after ending things with Nate, so she answered, "I don't know maybe."

"Meet me at The Forge in an hour."

"You're paying."

"Of course."

After that Sadie simply hung up without another word.

"Who was that?" Eames asked inquisitively.

Sadie shrugged her shoulders as she answered, lying straight through her teeth, "Eh, just a friend of a friend."

It was silent then.

Sadie felt sort of uncomfortable and looked around the living room, her eyes looking anywhere but in Eames' direction "So..." she said as her way of breaking the silence.

"Since I'm already here..." Eames trailed off.

Sadie sighed in relief that he accepted the bait. But she also swallowed the lump that had just formed in her throat and bit her lower lip nervously in anticipation of what he was going to say next. "Since you're already here what?"

"We should talk about your revelation last night," he told her. "Clear the air between us a bit."

That had to be the funniest thing she'd heard in a while now. Sadie couldn't stop herself from laughing once he said that.

"What's so funny?" Eames asked confused.

Sadie laughed and between breaths said, "Talk? I don't exactly take you for the type to talk about things. Especially not about feelings."

"They're _you're_ feelings...not mine," Eames replied, clearly not thinking his thoughts through before he said them.

And that's when it all took a turn for the worse. Sadie stopped laughing abruptly and frowned at him.

Eames must of realized what he had just done because he instantly apologized, "Sorry, love. That's not what I meant."

Sadie stood up quickly and marched over to the door, swinging it open. "You should go," she spoke glaring daggers through him, standing there with one of her hands on her hip and the other one on the door knob.

"Sadie..." Eames began as he stood up slowly.

Sadie shook her head, not wanting to hear anything that he had to say. "Just go, Eames," she seethed.

Eames tried again. "Sadie..."

Sadie gritted her teeth and stomped her foot before practically yelling, "I have somewhere to be. I need to get ready. And _you_ really need to go. _Now_."

Eames looked at the clock on the wall then back at her, and then asked with a slightly curious tone in his voice, "You're going somewhere at midnight?"

Sadie sighed in frustration and rolled her eyes. "It's Miami. Time isn't of essence like it is in other cities and towns," Sadie explained. "Now go," she said again in a slightly softer tone than before.

"Alright. I'll go," Eames said as he walked out the door.

"Okay, good," Sadie replied, slamming the door once he was gone.

What the hell just happened?

**~unbroken~**

It was almost 12:30 when Sadie sat down at the table across from Nate. She hoped that this meeting would be as short as possible, and luckily with The Forge closing in half an hour Sadie had a good feeling that she'd be out of there before then. Just seeing Nate sitting across from her with that disgusting, disturbing smirk on his face made her skin crawl and her blood boil.

"You owe me some proof," Sadie spoke not waiting for Nate to say something first.

Nate raised an eyebrow, curiously. And, he questioned, "Proof?"

"I want proof that Arthur is okay," Sadie demanded in a stern tone of voice as she sat back in the chair and crossed her arms.

"He's fine," Nate told her as if he thought his word would be enough for her.

Sadie shook her head and scoffed in disbelief. "Actions speak louder than words!" she said glaring daggers right through him. If only looks could kill.

Nate smirked as he leaned against the table on his forearms smirking at her. "You're just going to have to trust my words," he replied staring at her with a satisfied look in his eyes.

"Damn it, Nate!" Sadie exclaimed causing the moderate amount of people still in the restaurant to look their way. Agitatedly and not in the mood for judging looks, Sadie spat, "What are you all looking at?! Got staring problems much?!"

That was enough for everyone to retreat back to their own personal business.

Turning her attention back to Nate who was chuckling with an amused look on his face, Sadie hissed, "You're being the biggest ass ever! I just want to know for sure that he's at least still breathing." Sadie thought for a moment before adding, "Then, I'll be more cooperative with you."

Nate gave her a look of annoyance that Sadie met with her own.

Shaking his head, Nate pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number that Sadie hoped would connect her to Arthur. "Fine."

Sadie nervously bit her lip. It wasn't completely out of the normal for her to want to just hear his voice. Was it? It was the voice that always made her feel at ease and safe before when everything had been going on in Paris. Well, before everything else went down. But, Sadie could still imagine his voice in her head and it made her smile.

Sadie was brought out of her thoughts by Nate's voice.

"Put him on," Nate commanded whoever was on the other end of the line.

Anxiously and impatiently tapping her foot against the ground she waited until Nate leaned forward over the table holding the phone up to her ear. Sadie reached her hand up to take the phone from him and he shook his head no gripping the phone even tighter. Sadie rolled her eyes and then focused on the phone.

"Arthur?" she asked cautiously feeling her heart start pounding in her chest.

There's silence on the other end of the line for a while, and Sadie had just about lost all hope of hearing his voice when it was suddenly broken. Sadie almost jumped for joy out of her chair and through the roof like what was usually seen in a lot of cartoons when she heard the faint sound of him say her name. Oh, how she missed that.

"Oh my god! Arthur! Are you alright?" Sadie asked in honest concern.

Sadie felt her heart sink a little when he spoke in a voice that wasn't what she was use to hearing from Arthur, "Been better."

"What have they done to you?" Sadie dared to ask, curiosity getting the best of her.

"Drugs...beatings...all numb..." his answer came out one or two words at a time.

Sadie's eyes widened in shock and her blood thickened in anger. She knew she shouldn't care a much as she did, but despite what he did to her in the past a big part of her still cared about him and she could manage to overlook what had happened up until they saved him. She wasn't heartless by any means. Only a heartless person would hold a grudge even in these circumstances.

"Drugs? Beatings? That's horrible! Arthur, I'm gonna do whatever it takes to get you back. I promise, whatever it ta..." Sadie didn't get to finish talking as Nate yanked the phone away from her and ended the call.

Nate sat back in the chair and said, "That's enough."

Sadie jumped up angrily having no control to keep it in any longer. "What the hell, Nate?!" she asked in a tone that could give a rapper rapping an angry song a run for their money.

"You're making a scene, Sadie. Sit down!" Nate said gesturing for her to look around and realize that she had once again gained everyone else's attention in the restaurant.

Sadie ignored the eyes that were on her this time and yelled, "No, I will not sit down, Nate! You...you...this is fucking absurd! I can't believe this! And, it's all because you fucked up, I moved on, and you can't except that fact!"

"Sadie..." Nate started to say, but Sadie refused to let him get a sentence in.

"Fuck you, Nate! You just can't except the fact that for the short time I was with Arthur he made me so much more happy than you could've ever dreamed off!" Sadie couldn't help but smirk when she saw the sudden slightly pained look in his eyes at her angry confession. "Yeah, take that jackass!" Sadie thought happily feeling content that she had gotten the last word.

But, then Nate spoke again, Sadie...you need to calm..."

"Don't tell me to calm down! You are just a selfish, uncaring asshole who doesn't care what he does or who he hurts just as long as he gets what he wants! And, that is not how this is going to go down! You're not calling the shots in this situation!"

Nate remained seated, but raised his voice just enough for Sadie to hear the danger in it and pointed out, "Actually, on the contrary, I am. I'm the one who gets to decide if you ever get to see your boyfriend again."

"He is not my boyfriend," Sadie couldn't help the urge to correct him. "Not anymore," she added with very evident pain in her voice.

The look in Nate's eyes said that he had heard the pain in her voice, but it was obvious he pretended not to have noticed as he said with a look of fake shock on his face, "Oh, he's not? I could've sworn he was. Did something happen?"

"Do you know something that I don't?" Sadie asked getting the sense that he had something to do with something. She just couldn't seem to pin point what, though.

Nate shrugged his shoulders and answered, "Maybe, I do. Maybe, I don't."

By then Sadie really couldn't find it in her to even care anymore what it was that he knows. She's too pissed off to care and as if out of left field, Sadie returned to yelling, "You fucking asshole! It's like I don't even know you anymore! I fucking hate you!"

Then, before she could even stop herself, Sadie reached forward grabbing Nate's drink from the table and threw it at him. Happy with herself, Sadie turned around and stalked out of the restaurant leaving Nate sitting there soaking wet and probably even angrier than he'd ever been in the time that Sadie had known him. But, she couldn't seem to make herself care at that moment.

\--------

Sadie marched angrily up the stairs, having decided the elevator would take too long. She threw open the stairway door and walked a little ways and turned left at the corner. In seconds, she was standing in front of Eames' hotel room knocking on the door rather loudly. She felt a bit guilty thinking that maybe he was asleep, but at the same time was still too angry to care much about anything at the moment.

She couldn't believe that she had kept the truth to herself to begin with. Threats or not, Sadie always found some way around them, but this time she hadn't even tried. Well, not until now. Almost 24 hours was already way too long with Arthur's life on the line. It didn't help that she probably made things even worse with her outbreak at the restaurant.

Once she left The Forge, she had decided that telling Eames and Ariadne what she knew stood a better chance at getting Arthur back alive than if she kept it to herself and all the drugs and beatings that are being given to him continued for god only knows how long. Surely, he'd be dead by time they got to him if they didn't act fast.

Or, maybe, just maybe...Nate had an ulterior motive for his actions and would buy them some more time. If only the research she was waiting for would get back to her already. She could calm down a bit and not be questioning her own actions every second she was awake and asleep as well. She could at least hope that was the case for now.

Sadie was slightly relieved when Eames opened the door wearing the same clothes from earlier looking wide awake.

"I thought you'd be asleep by now," Sadie said.

Eames shook his head no, and replied, "There's too much to think about."

"Do you mind if I come in?" Sadie asked.

"Not at all," he answered moving to let her in. After closing the door, "Look, I'm truly sorry for earlier, love. I didn't mean to offen..."

Sadie cut him off and spoke trying to keep her anger at bay, "Not now, Eames. We've got bigger fish to fry at the moment."

"Go on," Eames said when Sadie didn't speak again after a moment.

"Well, as I'm sure you're aware of...I lied to you yesterday when I showed up after my first meeting with Nate..." Sadie trailed off, nervously pacing back and forth in front of Eames.

Eames interrupted her, cocked an eyebrow in slight confusion, and asked, "Your first meeting? You've met up with him more than once?"

Sadie nodded looking away from him as she answered, "He's who I went to see."

Eames didn't hide the disappointed expression on his face as he asked, "Why'd you do that? Especially after what happened yesterday?"

Before she could stop herself, Sadie blurted out without a second thought, "Because he's the one who took Arthur."

Eames frowned. "You're sure he's not just being an arse and toying with you?"

Sadie nodded assuringly. "For one, how else would he know Arthur is missing unless he is in fact the one who took him? Two, I talked Nate into letting me talk to Arthur on the phone for a moment. Oh, and just to point it out and put it on the record Nate's always an ass," she explained.

That last part just so happened to earn a chuckle from Eames and Sadie smiled at her own statement.

"How'd he sound?" Eames asked curiously.

Sadie sighed and sat down on the bed. "Not good. He's been drugged and beaten...you can hear it all in his voice...he sounds horrible," Sadie answered quietly. "I think I may have made it all a little bit worse, though..."

"How so?"

Sadie couldn't stop herself from smiling when she said, "I sort of made a scene...and threw his drink in his face."

Eames laughed making Sadie feel a little less guilty about her smile.

"Classic move, right?" Sadie asked jokingly.

"Did he tell you why he took Arthur?" Eames questioned sitting down on the bed next to her changing the mood in the room instantly.

Sadie swallowed the newly formed lump in her throat and nodded.

"Will you tell me?"

Sadie nodded again, but didn't speak.

"Sadie..."

"It's all my fault," Sadie spoke her resolve suddenly breaking. She was going to blame the alcohol from earlier for that. It was just easier that way. "It's all because of me."

"It's not your fault."

Sadie froze for a moment when she felt Eames put an arm around her and pull her closer to him. This was not helping anything. It should be comforting, but it wasn't. It was only making Sadie's head spin more. She couldn't get use to this or want to feel those big, strong arms around her every time she was hurting...no, just no.

Sadie didn't want to be rude and push him away, so instead she just shook her head in disagreement with him and tried to think of the conversation they were having as opposed to how it felt with his arm around her pulling her close to him. "It is my fault. He took Arthur because of me. He said that he took Arthur because Arthur took something of his...aka me. Apparently, he's quite the possessive asshole."

Eames didn't say anything, but Sadie could feel him tense up against her. Sadie didn't question it, though. He was just being overprotective of her that's all. He had spent a month and some weeks and days protecting her before so surely now was him just getting back into the feeling of that once again since they were in a slightly similar situation.

Sadie looked at the clock on the nightstand and pulled away from Eames' grip. "It's almost 2, I should get going," she said standing up.

"You could stay here if you want to," Eames suggested catching Sadie off guard.

Sadie turned around faster than she could blink and she looked at Eames with a look that a deer caught in a headlight would. "I'm sorry...what'd you just say?" Sadie questioned wondering if maybe her ears had just deceived her.

"Relax," Eames said as he stood up. "No need to freak out, I just said you could stay here if you weren't comfortable walking home at this time."

"Umm...I don't...I really should go home," Sadie said nodding her head for whatever reason.

"Do you want me to walk you home at least?"

"Thanks for the offer, but I couldn't ask you to do that," Sadie said shaking her head.

"It's no big deal. I'm offering," Eames said shrugging his shoulders as proof that it really wasn't a big deal.

Sadie didn't reply at first, but then ended up giving in, "Sure, that's very generous of you. Thank you."

"Anytime."


	5. Devil In Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Far in the distance  
>  This is the view from the other side  
>  How did I let this pass me by?
> 
> Took me for granted  
>  Planted thorns in this garden of mine  
>  What are the chances?  
>  My hope has died
> 
> Please have mercy  
>  You've unnerved me  
>  I don't deserve this pain
> 
> So don't break my heart,  
>  I ain't never done nothing to deserve this  
>  I'm torn apart  
>  You've had your fun, do you suppose I earned it?  
>  Do you not see how I'm begging on my knees?  
>  Don't speak, don't breathe,  
>  You bring out the devil in me,"
> 
> \- Kate Voegele
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Inception or its characters. I only own Sadie.

It had been 12 hours since Eames had walked her home. 12 long hours. Sadie was more confused about her feelings than ever. Obviously, there was something there on her part. Otherwise, she wouldn't keep going back to him every time something bad happened. But, she was sure that it was only one-sided because Eames didn't seem to how any signs of feeling something for her, too.

Sadie had decided when she woke up that afternoon, overwhelmed by the scent of Eames lingering on her clothes she hadn't changed out of when she got home, that she'd try to take the day off from everything going on with some "feel better" shopping. For two hours, everything went the way she hoped it would. There were no signs what-so-ever of Nate or Eames or Ariadne. Nothing at all.

But, like everything good it came to an end abruptly. Sadie turned the street corner and froze for a moment before quickly backtracking until she was out of sight and could peak around the corner stealthily. She peaked her head around the corner seeing Nate sitting at a table at the outdoor Italian restaurant talking to a couple of sketchy looking guys.

Not surprisingly, they were very easy to place as not from around there. People, who weren't detectives or business men, out and about in Miami at two in the afternoon, which most detectives and business men weren't, wearing sharp looking suits stood out more so than others. They stood out like someone from Alaska vacationing in Hawaii wearing a parka.

Sadie was too far away to hear what they were saying, but the serious look on Nate's face gave it away. Sadie knew that look and she could just tell that the guys were obviously working for or with Nate. So, there were three of them, then. And, maybe more. But, obviously those two were the more important ones from Nate's employees, for lack of better terms.

If that was in fact the case, then most likely they knew where Arthur was. And, surely it wasn't long until one if not all of them went back to wherever they were keeping Arthur. If she spied on them long enough, then maybe one of them would end up leading her to where Arthur was being kept, which would help wrap this situation up a lot faster. If she could somehow get the upper hand, then everything could go her way.

Sadie watched them for a few more moments until she saw the waiter bring them their food. Sadie smirked to herself as she pulled her head back and leaned against the brick wall behind her. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed Ariadne's number. She suddenly had a plan and she didn't want to be the only one in on it, especially with what was at stake.

Despite what she really wanted, Ariadne's help would have to do.

\--------

Ariadne was working on some random designs trying to keep her mind at ease given the current circumstances when her phone rang. She put the sketch pad down next to her on the bed and reached for her phone, pushing the call button, and bringing it up to her ear.

"Hello," she spoke into the phone.

"Ariadne, I need you to meet me as soon as possible at Quattro. Well, okay at the end of Lincoln Road. I don't want them to catch us," Sadie replied wasting no time with pleasantries.

"Sadie? What? Why? What's going on?" she asked curiously and a bit worried by Sadie's quick response. "Who's them?"

"There's no time to answer questions or to explain my plan. Just get here now. We probably have twenty minutes before we need to go."

"What's going on, Sadie? You're beginning to worry me."

"Come now, ask questions later," Sadie said impatiently.

"Alright, I'm on my way right now," Ariadne said very confused, but could tell that their was extreme urgency in her voice.

"Oh, and I'd appreciate it if you come alone. And, don't tell Eames where you're going either."

"Why not? If he sees or hears me leaving he's going to be curious as to where I'm going."

"Then, sneak out and don't let him catch you leaving."

"But..." Ariadne began to protest for whatever reason.

"Just come now before it's too late. And, stay out of the line of sight of Quattro's."

Before Ariadne could say anything else, Sadie hung up. Ariadne hung up as well and got up off the bed, putting her phone and room key into her pockets. She was extremely confused by Sadie and everything she said. First, Sadie wanted her to meet up with her. Second, Sadie doesn't want Eames to know anything about it.

What was going on with Sadie? Why would she care whether he came or not or knew what they were doing? It made no sense at all and left her with more questions than anything else. It made her wonder if something was going on that she didn't know about. Ariadne made note to herself to ask Sadie what was going on when she saw her later.

Luckily for Ariadne, she got out of the hotel without Eames seeing or hearing her. She wasn't even sure if he was there. But, that wasn't of much importance as long as she didn't get caught.

\--------

Ariadne waited on the street corner for any signs of Sadie. She had been standing there waiting for five minutes now and Sadie was nowhere to be found. Ariadne was sure she was at the right street. Sadie had been perfectly clear about where they were to meet and that she should stay hidden from where anyone at Quattro's could see her.

Another minute passed by and Sadie still wasn't there. Ariadne was getting impatient and agitated not knowing where Sadie was. Sadie had said that there was probably only 20 minutes until they had to get going. That was 17 minutes ago. Three more minutes and more than likely whatever Sadie had planned would end up falling through.

Exactly one minute before the 20 minutes was up an unfamiliar black car that looked like it more than likely belonged to a rich business person pulled up in front of her. Ariadne didn't move until the door opened revealing Sadie in the drivers seat. Well, that was weird. Ariadne didn't remember Sadie having a car like this. Or even a car at all. This was Miami after all. Most people preferred to walk everywhere.

"Hurry up! Get in! There's no more time to waste," Sadie said pulling up next to her and pushing open the passenger side door.

"You were the one taking forever to get here in the first place," Ariadne argued getting in and closing the door behind her.

Sadie rolled her eyes and shook her head before putting the car into drive. "I had to choose carefully," she said as her excuse a moment later.

"Choose carefully? Umm...Sadie...Who's car is this?" Ariadne asked suddenly very alert to the fact that something wasn't right about this situation.

Sadie shrugged her shoulders and answered, "I don't know."

Ariadne raised an eyebrow questioningly. "You don't know...?"

Sadie shook her head and then nodded. "That's what I said."

And, then it dawned on her, but she decided she wanted to hear it from Sadie herself. "Did you steal this car?" she asked wide eyed.

"Define stealing..." Sadie said her voice trailing off as she paid close attention to the road in front of her.

"You stole this car! Really, Sadie," Ariadne shook her head and sighed looking out the window.

"I prefer the term borrowed," Sadie said with a small smirk.

Ariadne cocked an eyebrow, turning away from the window to look at Sadie. "Borrowed? Taking a car that isn't yours isn't borrowing, Sadie. It's stealing."

"Not necessary," Sadie pointed out.

"How is it not?" Ariadne asked not being able to make any sense of it.

"It's not stealing when you plan on having it back before the owner returns and finds out it was ever gone," Sadie explained glancing over at Ariadne and offering her a brief smile before turning her focus back to the road.

"Your logic scares me," Ariadne confessed matter of factly.

Sadie shrugged. "Actually, it's my dad's logic. I just go with it because in a way it makes sense."

Ariadne decided she wasn't even going to dignify that with a response. "How do you know when the owner will be back?" she asked instead.

"Meters. The owner paid the meter for a few hours."

They sat in silence for a minute after that before Ariadne broke the silence stating, "You know, I wasn't planning on breaking the law today."

"You invade people's minds for a living, Ariadne. Being in a stolen car is the least breaking the law situation you've been in in your entire life," Sadie reminded her not bothering to take her eyes off the road to see the sudden look on Ariadne's face.

There was another silence that filled the car. Except this time it was extremely awkward.

"I really am sorry, Sadie. We never meant to..." Ariadne broke the silence again trying to apologize.

Sadie cut her off and said more harshly than she had intended on, "Shut up! Just shut up! I'm not talking about this! We have bigger fish to fry right now!"

"Sorry."

A third silence even more awkward than the first two suddenly took over.

"So, what are we doing anyways?" Ariadne questioned changing the subject all together.

"Spying on Nate."

"We're spying on Nate?"

Sadie nodded, explaining, "I saw him earlier with a few sketchy looking guys. I think he or they might lead us to where Arthur's being kept."

"And, you're sure about this?"

"Nate's not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed. He'd never expect someone to be following him, especially not me."

"Okay. I really do hope that you're right."

"I am."

When another patch of silence began, Ariadne remembered that she was going to ask Sadie about the Eames situation.

"So, if you don't mind me asking...why didn't you want me to bring Eames along?"

Sadie lied almost too quickly obviously sounding as if she had thought the whole question and answer through before she picked up Ariadne, "We can't just go in there on a limb, Ariadne. You know Eames probably would. Do you want to die today?"

Ariadne shook her head. "No."

"Then, let's see what happens first and plan what we're going to do," Sadie said.

Ariadne suddenly blurted out, "But, seriously, is there something going on between you and Eames that I don't know about?"

Sadie wasn't expecting the question and almost drove off the road. After quickly correcting the car, Sadie asked, "What? What would make you think that?"

"I don't know. It's just a feeling I have."

"Well, you're feeling wrong," Sadie said defensively.

"Am I really?" Ariadne asked daringly.

"Yes, Ariadne. You really am."

"It's kind of hard to believe. My feelings are usually right."

"Well, there's a first time for everything. And, this is the first time your feeling is wrong."

Ariadne opened her mouth to say something else, but closed it and said nothing instead when she saw Sadie's mouth turn down into a frown.


	6. Whyyawannabringmedown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "So what's your evil attitude  
> When you got me spendin' my time pleasing you  
> Why must you keep me underground  
> Tell me tell me whyyawannabringmedown  
> Is it too much to give a damn,"
> 
> \- Kelly Clarkson
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Inception or its characters. I only own Sadie, Landon, and Nate.

Shopping bags in hand, Sadie waited patiently for the elevator doors to open up to the fifth floor. What was suppose to be a calm, uneventful shopping day had turned into a lot more than she's originally planned. She shouldn't have been surprised by it. Lately, no day ever went without something happening to ruin her original plans.

The elevator door opened and Sadie stepped out walking to the end of the hall where her apartment was located. Sadie walked slowly so she could reach into her purse and get out her keys. The last thing she expected when she got her keys and looked up was to see someone standing there at her door leaning against the wall next to it with a folder in hand.

Sadie gasped and her eyes widened out of surprise. "Landon! What are you doing here?" she asked when the initial feeling of surprise wore off and she could speak.

"I thought it'd be better for me to tell you what I found in person as opposed to over the phone," he answered with a shrug of his shoulders, pushing off of the wall and standing up straight.

Sadie put her key in the door lock and twisted it unlocking the door and making her way inside. "Come on in," she said glancing over her shoulder and gesturing her head for him to come in.

Landon walked in and closed the door behind him. "Thanks."

Sadie placed her keys on the kitchen counter/island and walked down the hallway to her bedroom to put her shopping bags that were filled with clothes down. "So, what'd you find out?" she asked curiously when she returned to the living room.

Landon sat on the couch and opened the folder in his hands. "Well, to start with the basics...Nathaniel Andrew Chandler, age 26, born June 7th, 1986 to Michael and Annette Chandler...blah, blah, blah..." Landon answered.

"What about his parents? Where are they now?" Sadie questioned unintentionally cutting him off.

"Umm, well, they split up when he was 14."

Sadie nodded. "Yeah, he told me that much. What else?"

"His mom lives in California and his dad...well, that's actually why I came here instead of telling you over the phone."

Sadie raised an incredulous eyebrow, "What about his dad?"

"You ready for this?" he asked.

Sadie nodded.

"Alright, Michael Chandler was found dead, gunshot wound to the head, no foul play was uncovered...it was ruled a suicide after a some investigation. And, get this..." Landon didn't finish his statement on purpose, causing Sadie to grow even more anxious to hear what else he was going to say.

"What is it, Landon?" she asked, urging him to continue.

"He was found dead 1 month and three weeks ago," Landon said handing her the newspaper clipping.

Sadie's jaw dropped and her eyes widened at his words. "Wait...that's when...oh my god..."

"From what you told me about what happened...I think it's safe to say that Nate's dad was one of your kidnappers."

Sadie couldn't believe it. "So, that's why he's doing this? Well, another reason why...he wants revenge," Sadie said realization dawning on her.

Landon asked something but at that point Sadie was in her own world at that point and didn't hear the question.

So, that's what this was all really about. Nate was out for revenge for his father's death. All this time he had known so much about what was going on because he was in on it. He and his father were working together to get what they wanted from her, and then when that didn't work they chose to go forward with plan b, which ended with Nate's dad dead and lead Nate to doing this.

It was all so clear now. Nate was out for blood...Arthur and Eames' blood since he was sure to be well aware that they had in fact been the ones to kill him when they saved Sadie. Kidnapping Arthur instead of just killing him and Eames the first chance he got was his way of killing two birds with one stone. He was using Arthur to lure Eames in and then he'd make Sadie suffer by taking them both out in front of her.

Sadie snapped herself out of her thoughts and looked up at Landon. She couldn't let that happen. By any means necessary she had to make sure that'd not how it all ended.

"What is it, Sadie?" Landon questioned curiously noticing the wheels in Sadie's head turning.

"I need your help with something else now," Sadie told him.

\--------

Landon hadn't even been gone five minutes when she heard a knock on the door. Sadie turned off the tv before standing up from the couch and walking to the door, looking through the peephole. Sadie backed up quickly when she saw Eames standing there. Oh, god. She had only had five minutes to think through the new information she had learned. That wasn't long enough.

Taking a deep breath, Sadie opened the door. "What are you doing here, Eames?" she asked avoiding eye contact with him.

"Why didn't you want Ariadne to tell me she was going to meet up with you?" he questioned ignoring hers.

Sadie didn't answer as she turned away from him and the door and walked further into the apartment.

"Sadie, why didn't you want Ariadne to tell me she was going to meet up with you?" he asked again.

Sadie heard the sound of the door closing and then turned around to come face to face with him. "I...I'm...it's hard to explain," she finally decided to say not giving him a real answer.

"Then explain it to me. I've got time," Eames told her clearly not allowing her to take an easy excusable way out.

"You told me to keep it the way it is. That's what I'm trying to do," Sadie blurted out having no time to give thought to how she was going to handle this inevitable conversation. "Everytime you're around me they just get stronger and I have no control over them."

"That's what all of this is all about? Your feelings for me."

Sadie shrugged her shoulders and frowned. "Sure, if that's how you want to put it."

"You shouldn't feel anything for me. I'm not Arthur. I'm not anything like him," Eames said, stating the obvious.

Sadie couldn't help but roll her eyes before exclaiming, "Of course you're not! And, I don't want another Arthur. If I wanted another Arthur, then I wouldn't feel anything for you. You and Arthur are two completely different people!"

There was a pause of silence.

When Eames didn't say anything, Sadie continued, "You're the one who acts like you feel nothing back for me and that we're on the "just friends" level."

"We are just friends," Eames nodded in agreement.

"Exactly. So, therefore, I'm doing everything I can think of to not ruin our friendsh...well, actually it's already ruined, if we even actually had one to begin with. I'm suppose to hate you, Eames, not feel something for you. I can't just forgive you or Arthur or Ariadne for what you three did to me."

"I don't expect you to," Eames told her sincerely. "None of us do."

Neither spoke after that for what felt like an eternity. They just stood there. They stood there looking at each other, looking at the floor, the walls, and then back to each other. Then, they'd go on and repeat their actions over and over again.

Sadie finally decided to break the silence after thinking some things through. "After we save Arthur...I want to go back to the way it was for the past month or so," she admitted.

"And, how's that?" Eames asked.

"Me trying to move on and forget you three," Sadie answered. Seconds later she added, "Well, you know, as much as I can with Ariadne being my cousin and all."

"Fair enough."

"You should go, Eames. Otherwise, things are just going to get even more complicated than they already are," Sadie said moving to walk past him to the door.

Eames grabbed her arm and pulled her back just as she walked by him. "I'm not leaving," he spoke in a stern, unwavering tone of voice.

"Let go of my arm, Eames," Sadie demanded.

He did just that.

"Just go, please," Sadie damn near pleaded looking up at him.

Eames shook his head, and said "No, you're not going to keep kicking me out everytime I say something you don't like."

Sadie laughed almost evilly before she replied, "It's my apartment, I can kick you out if I want to. And, as many times as I want to."

He shook his head again, refusing to move a single inch. "I'm not going anywhere. We might as well work it out now and get it over with."

Sadie closed her eyes and took a deep breath shaking her head. "Not now. No more. I've had a long day, and I just want to be left alone."

Eames scoffed at that remark. "Making up excuses to run from your problems again."

Sadie's eyes snapped open and she hissed out, "Don't you even, Eames. This is not the time. We should be working on finding Arthur right now not anything else."

"Not gonna happen. You and I both know that as soon as we find Arthur this will be all over and we won't get another chance like this."

"Maybe, that's the point. Ever think of that?"

"Sadie..."

"Just let it go, Eames!" Sadie snapped.

Tired of the incessant back and forth Eames snapped back, "Alright, fine."

"Good, now leave."

"Not yet."

"What? Why not?" Sadie asked with an exasperated sigh.

"Ariadne said that the two of you followed Nate to the docks and..." Eames purposely trailed off upon changing the subject.

Sadie rolled her eyes, but decided to entertain him farther even though she was already over this, had been since he first walked in the door. "Yeah, we did. And, it was a dead end. I should've known Nate wouldn't make anything that easy. He's quite paranoid sometimes. He probably went to the docks just in case someone was following him...in this case me and Ariadne...but, yeah, it was a dead end."

"What do we now, then?"

"Nate is bound to call again. We just wait and see what he says next," Sadie said plopping down on the couch feeling strangely exhausted.

"Every minute we waste doing nothing is a minute that anything could happen in. We need to get Arthur back before..." Eames started.

Sadie was off the couch not even a second later, cutting Eames off, "Don't say it! Nate isn't going to kill Arthur. He can barely kill a spider without feeling bad about it. But, he wouldn't hesitate to hire someone else to do it."

"Sadie..." Eames began in an incredulous tone.

Sadie shook her head as her way of insisting he no longer continue his train of thought. "No need to worry, Eames. If he was going to have Arthur killed then Arthur would be dead already, and he's not," Sadie spoke in an assuring tone. "Now, please...just go, Eames. I'll let you know when Nate calls again."

Eames opened his mouth to say something.

Sadie quickly put up a hand to keep him silent. She shook her head and said to him, "Without another word."

Eames frowned, but turned and left anyways, the door slamming shut behind him causing Sadie to jump a little having been taken off guard by it.

Sadie sighed a sigh of relief and went to sit back down on the couch. But, before she could her cell phone rang. Sadie shook her head and sighed walking over to where her phone was charging on the counter and picked it up. She was and wasn't prepared for the name that showed up on the caller id. She almost felt like it was too soon. Either way she pushed the talk button and brought it up to her ear.

"What do you want, Nate?" she asked harshly, leaning against the kitchen bar counter.

"An apology and a clean slate aka you get a second chance," he answered.

Sadie was taken back by his answer. "You're kidding?" she asked incredulously.

"No, I'm not. I'm being very serious right now."

Outraged, she asked annoyed and angry, "Why the hell should I apologize to you? You're the one breaking laws like it's some kind of contest while screwing up my life even more than you already have."

As innocently a voice as he could muster, Nate answered, "You threw your drink in my face and made a scene in front of everybody yesterday. I'm the innocent victim in this case."

"You are so fucking full of it," Sadie hissed in disgust.

"Just apologize and we can move on to more important things.

With fake enthusiasm, Sadie put out the lamest apology in the lamest voice she could think up, "Fine, I'm sorry. Now what do you really want?

"Eh, I'll take it. It's probably the best apology I'm going to get from you."

"You've got that right."

"Alright, well, too the real reason I called now. I was thinking we could make a deal."

"A deal? What kind of deal?" Sadie asked cautiously.

Sadie's eyes widened and her jaw dropped when he told her what he was thinking about in that very sick, twisted, and screwed up mind of his. She couldn't even bring herself to begin to understand what she was hearing. That was Nate going way too far.

"You are one sick and twisted pervert, Nate," Sadie hissed just before hanging up and rushing out the door.


	7. I Wish

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Everyday it's getting worse not better,  
>  Maybe we should sit and finally talk.  
>  Cuz where were at it's hard to measure,  
>  When I'm standin in front of a wall, yeah
> 
> You wanna know why I look sad and lonely.  
>  You wanna know why I can barely talk, well  
>  It's not your fault so let me say I'm sorry,  
>  For makin you the reason for my fall.
> 
> I wish that I could be like I was before.  
>  I was ridin high but now I'm feelin so low.  
>  I wish that you could make my world feel better,  
>  And take away the hurt so I won't be so far gone,"
> 
> \- Hilary Duff
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Inception or its characters. I only own Sadie.

After hanging up on Nate, Sadie walked around Miami for a while. She needed to let everything sort itself out in her mind in hopes that understanding it all would make it a bit easier to calm down. However, each second she thought about it she got angrier and angrier. She needed someone to take that anger out on. Lucky for her she knew just the person who deserved it and yet could take it also.

And, that's how she ended up standing at Eames' hotel room door pounding angrily on it.

"You caught me at a bad time. I was just about to head down to the bar," Eames said opening the door.

"Screw the bar!" Sadie hissed, pushing past Eames and storming into the room.

Eames raised an eyebrow seeming slightly taken back by the even angrier than earlier side of Sadie as he turned on his heel to look at her. "You come to apologize for earlier or did you hear from Nate already?" he asked in an attempt to lighten the mood a bit.

Sadie scoffed, rolling her eyes at him as she turned to face him. "Yeah, because I really have a reason to apologize. But, no I'm here because of the latter."

"He's got you all riled up, I see," Eames stated the obvious, placing his hands in the pockets of the muddy brown colored slacks that didn't go so well with the salmon looking button up shirt he was wearing.

"You think?" Sadie asked sarcastically. "That sick fuck actually wants me to give myself up to him in order for him to let Arthur go!"

"He wants to trade you two?" Eames asked as if he hadn't understood what she had just said.

"Apparent-fucking-ly, to him we're his own personal deck of trading cards. How fucking sick is that?" she asked literally shaking from rage.

"You should try to calm down a bit. You're going to give yourself a panic attack or something," Eames spoke a hint of concern sneaking it's way into his voice.

Sadie suddenly looked like a deer caught in a headlight. "Calm down? Don't tell me to try to calm down."

"Sadie, love, please," Eames said placing a hand on each of her shoulders, trying to calm her down.

Sadie shrugged off his hands and backed away from him as much as she could until her knees hit the bed. "You know you're one to talk," she snapped at him unknowingly switching the subject in the process.

"This is no longer about Nate, is it?" Eames asked crossing his arms over his chest.

Sadie was completely clueless as to what he meant. "What are you talking about?" she asked, dumdbfounded.

"You just turned this into anger about what happened a few months ago," Eames pointed out.

She shook her head and said defensively, "I didn't turn it around to that subject. You just did."

"No, I'm sure that was you," Eames said matter-of-factly.

Sadie continued on the defensive as she sat down on the bed. "No, it wasn't. Why would I want to talk about how much I still want to hate you for invading the privacy of my mind. I've tried and tried to forget you all and move on. Yet, here you are in front of me. Arthur's been kidnapped by my ex and I'm being forced to work with my mind invaders to save him!"

Eames chuckled, "I'll take that as a yes."

"What?"

Eames shook his head, "Nothing."

As if she suddenly had no brain to mouth filter, Sadie admitted without realizing it at first, "There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about it! No matter how hard I try to forget about Arthur, to forget about you...it's like...it's like you're haunting my thoughts or something."

"Keep it coming. Let it all out," Eames urged her on, realizing that Sadie had so much that she needed to get off of her chest.

Sadie did continue venting, but if asked she'd insist it wasn't because he was giving her an out for it all. "I just can't believe that any of you would do such a thing. I actually thought I could trust all of you and I let my guards down, fell for Arthur, felt something for you that I've never been able to figure out, and then I find out from my kidnappers that I was lied to and that my dad wasn't really dead like I was incepted to believe and that the only reason was because you three invaded my mind and made me believe such a thing!"

"Can I interrupt real quick and say something?" Eames asked before Sadie could say anything else.

"You just did," Sadie said in a slightly annoyed tone.

"You know what I mean."

"What are you about to interrupt and make up some lame excuse as to why you did what you did and make yourselves seem all innocent?" Sadie asked standing up and crossing her arms, copying Eames' stance just because she could.

Eames nodded. "In a way."

With fake enthusiasm, Sadie said, "Oh, then by all means, excuse away."

Deciding now was in fact as good a time as any to let the cat out of the bag he said, "You never did let us explain."

Sadie looked at him with a curiously raised eyebrow and asked, "Explain what?"

"Explain what we did," Eames answered.

Sadie shook her head dumbfounded. "I don't understand. What you did when?"

"Why you found out about us performing Inception on you," Eames said."

"Why I found out?"

Eames nodded.

"Are you trying to say that none of you had any intention of telling me about what you did had those guys not showed me the recent pictures of my dad alive?" Sadie asked in disbelief.

"More or less."

"Are you just trying to make me hate you three again or even more than I already do or should? I haven't exactly decided whether I forgive you completely or not. Why would you even bring this up now?" Sadie asked putting her face in her hands and shaking her head taking a deep breath in and letting it out in a huff.

Eames took a step closer to her. "I thought you should know the truth and have enough time to think it through before you got the chance to run off again without hearing us out."

Sadie dropped her hands to her side and looked up at him. "And, what's the truth?"

Eames wasted no time in answering the question. "Nate would only tell us where he knew you'd been taken if we agreed to let him arrange to have you find out what we did.

Sadie's eyes widened and she once again found herself sitting on the bed. "So, he sort of reverse blackmailed you then?"

Eames shrugged taking a seat next to her on the bed. "If that's what you want to call it, then yes."

Sadie didn't say anything for a few moments as she thought quietly to herself, once again finding herself having to process too much information at once. It only took her less than a minute to speak up again when realization dawned on her. She turned her head to look at him. "The three of you agreed to it...you were all willing to let me hate you for life to save my life?"

Eames nodded absentmindedly, resting a hand on her barely covered by her dress thigh. "Yes, love, your life means more to us then you may or may not think it does."

Sadie suddenly couldn't find the words to say and ended up stuttering uncontrollably, "I...umm...w...wow...that...that's..."

Before Sadie could stop herself or even figure out what she was doing she threw herself at him, kissing him with everything she had in her at the time. It was obvious that she had taken him by surprise when he stumbled back a bit. And, just like that he pushed her away and it ended in the blink of an eye.

"What was that for?" Eames asked in surprise.

Sadie could just feel the heat in her face as it turned red with embarrassment and she jumped off the bed, taking baby steps backwards. "I umm...I...well, I just figured...umm...uhh..." she once again couldn't find the words to speak.

As if he had never said the words before in his life and what he was about to say really was hard for him to get out, he said, "Sadie, we're...we're just...friends."

Sadie was suddenly angry all over again. Maybe more than when she'd first arrived. Or maybe she was extremely hurt, but it only came out in anger. "Oh, of course! We're just friends!" she hissed.

"Sadie..." Eames started to say getting up from the bed.

Sadie shook her head and cut him off. "No, no. Don't. I was stupid for even thinking for a second that you'd actually feel for me what I feel for you."

Eames tried again, "Sadie, please..."

Sadie chuckled in a sinister tone. "I had just figured that maybe you're just not the type to talk about how you feel the past few times we had a conversation about my feelings and that you were just hiding behind the "just friends" status, but apparently I really am wrong. I don't have the same people judgment that I once had."

"Sadie, that's not what I..."

Sadie cut him off yet again. "No, Eames, I get it. I'm not the type you usually go for. I'm not the type of girl you can just hit and quit, and that's not what you like. I should've known."

Sadie turned and ran to the door without letting him say anything else to her.

"Sadie, where are you going?" Eames called after her.

Sadie answered exclaiming, "I need a drink!"

Then she stormed out heading straight for the bar thinking to herself, "Here I go again!"

\--------

Sadie sat at the bar, staring absentmindedly at her drink. Usually, drinking was her way of escaping the problems of the day. But, for some strange reason she didn't think a drink could help the problem she was dealing with now. Hence, the drink was untouched, except for a couple of sips drank. And, even those didn't do anything for her, weirdly enough cause' the first and last sips usually had the most feeling behind them.

She just couldn't believe, by any means, how stupid she had been not even ten minutes before. How could she possibly think that for even a minute her feelings were reciprocated? After all, Eames had said time and time again that they were "just friends." Obviously, now there was no denying that he meant it each time he said it.

Apparently, Sadie had overlooked what was in front of her and made more of the situation than she should have. That was always a flaw of hers ever since she was younger. She always thought there was more to something than there usually turned out to be. The situation with her feelings and Eames didn't prove to be any different. She hadn't changed at all since her younger years.

Sadie found herself stolen from her thoughts when the seat next to hers was suddenly taken. She didn't even have to look over to know who it was. Quite frankly, she didn't want to look over at all, especially since she knew who it was. Sadie just couldn't seem to bring herself to look over at him and realize all over again how stupid her previous actions had been.

"Sadie, we need to talk," he said after ordering a drink when she didn't say anything to him.

She shook her head no. "There's nothing to talk about." She took a sip of her drink and added, because apparently deep down she did want to talk about it, "Clearly, it's all one sided, so it doesn't matter. Now does it?"

Sadie took the silence that followed as a yes to her question. She hoped he'd just drop it and leave. But, he did neither. However, what he said when he spoke up again was not at all something that Sadie would've expected in a billion years.

"I don't just check up on someone without reason."

Sadie was both shocked and confused by his statement. She knew what she was hoping it meant. But, at the same time she wasn't sure. She'd made a big enough fool of herself enough in the past fifteen minutes or so. It wasn't on her list to make herself look like an even bigger fool anytime soon.

Therefore, she looked at him, curiously, hoping he'd give her the answer she was wanting, and asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"If it was one sided, I wouldn't have come to see you," he answered not giving her much to go on.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"I'm not the type to show emotion. You should know that. You're just going to have to take from that what you will."

Sadie thought to herself for a minute before realization that was even more than she herself was thinking of dawned on her. Her eyes light up as she turned her body fully on the bar stool to face him and exclaimed in pure delight, as if she were a kid again opening presents on Christmas morning, "Oh my gosh! You like me, too. You like me! You really, really like me!"

Eames shook his head, suppressing a smirk. "You're not in grade school anymore," he pointed out.

Sadie ignored him completely too far gone with the new realization. "Admit it! Admit it out loud! Admit that you like me, too!"

"Like I said before I don't show emotion," Eames said, drinking his drink to give him a reason not to say anything else.

"You lie! I've seen you show emotion before. Just admit it out loud to me," Sadie said with a smirk, batting her eyes at him innocently.

Eames shook his head and finished his drink quickly, standing up afterwards and walking out of the hotel bar calling back to her, "I don't have to admit anything."

Sadie wasted no time getting up quickly and following him. "Don't you walk away from me! You brought it up! Eames, wait! Just admit it!" she called after him.

On her way through the hotel lobby she could see that everyone in the lobby had their eyes on them or probably just her because she was the one being loud chasing after someone. She didn't pay too much attention to them or even try to get them to stop looking at her. Maybe she'd have a reason to use them for something later.

Sadie ran to catch up with Eames just as he walked into the elevator. With a slightly annoyed voice she asked him, "Why won't you just admit it to me?!"

Turning to face her, Eames ignored her question and instead said with a smirk, "Good night, Sadie."

Sadie opened her mouth to say something back, but before she could the door closed. Sadie stomped her foot in defeat, that only lasted a few moments. She suddenly remembered everyone being nosy and was sure that the woman at the front desk had heard it, too. She smiled to herself as an ingenious plan formed in her head. A plan that could hopefully help her figure her feelings out more and could get the whole truth out of Eames himself. She turned around and made her way to the front desk.

Sadie smiled at the woman behind the front desk as she leaned against it. As sweetly and feignly apologetic as she can muster, Sadie said to the woman, "I'm sorry to bother you, but I assume you heard what went on here between me and my "boyfriend" seconds ago." Sadie had to bite her tongue not to start blushing over calling Eames her "boyfriend."

The woman nodding her head, smiled apologetically and replied, "Yeah, I did, ma'am."

"Thanks. It means a lot," Sadie said with a fake smile.

"What can I do for you?" the woman asked.

"Well, I'm pretty sure he's locked me out of the room by now and I don't have my key, so I was wondering if you had an extra room key that you could give tom me?" Sadie answered with hope in her voice.

The woman thought for a moment before she nodded her head and spoke, "There's one extra key for each room. I'm not suppose to give out keys without..."

Sadie cut her off and pleaded for real now. Not all the words she said were true. But, the urgency to get that key and go figure things out between her and Eames was in fact real. "Please, miss. All of my clothes and stuff are in there. And, I really need to talk to him now before he packs up and leaves. He's kind of a flight risk, and I really don't want to lose him over something so stupid."

Sadie could tell that the woman felt bad suddenly when the expression on her face turned into one of sadness and pity. "What room are you staying in miss?"

Sadie sighed a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank you so much! Room 211."

The woman typed something in the computer before retrieving the extra key and handing it to her.

"Thank you so much. You have a nice night," Sadie cheerfully spoke taking the key.

The woman nodded and replied, "You're welcome! You have a nice night, too!"

"Oh, believe me, there's no doubt in my mind that I will!" Sadie smirked turning and heading towards the elevator.

Sadie already knew exactly what she was going to do when she got up to the room by time she had walked into the elevator and pushed the button for the second floor. She could only hope that she wouldn't be turned away. Rejection was not something Sadie ever had to go through before. And, going through it no would be heartbreaking. Especially when she was about to put herself as out there as she possibly could.


	8. With Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbroken is now Rated M/E!
> 
> "I can take your honesty, all your words weigh heavily  
> Listening to you all the time  
> I wanna be there for you, the way you been there for me  
> Always help me walk the line
> 
> And slow me down, slow me down  
> I know you will always be around,"
> 
> \- Hilary Duff
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Inception or its characters. I only own Sadie.

Sadie anxiously waited for the elevator doors to open. There were butterflies in her stomach and the longer it took for the elevator to go up to the second floor and open the doors, the more Sadie started to question whether or not she should really do what she was planning on doing. What if he rejected her? She wasn't sure what she'd do or say. But, she wouldn't know unless she went for it.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened. Sadie stepped out and walked a little ways down the hall and turned the corner. Then, she stopped and stood there. It was now or never. If she wanted to turn back now was her chance. If not, then she could walk the rest of the way to Eames' room and by then she wouldn't be able to turn back, even if she tried to.

Taking a deep breath, Sadie decided on the latter. She was never one to turn back if she knew the results could possibly be good. There was, in fact, the chance that he'd reject her and turn her away. But, there was also the chance that he'd say ok and in some way or another they could both get something that they wanted out of it.

Sadie walked slowly down the hall to Eames' hotel room. She stopped for a moment once she was at the door, and looked down at the key card she held in her hand. Again, it was now or never. Nervously, Sadie bit her bottom lip as she put the key card in the lock slot on the door and pushed it open upon hearing it click unlocked.

The sound of the water from the shower running hit her ears right away. Sadie couldn't stop the smirk that suddenly made it's way onto her face as she realized her plan was going to be a bit easier to go ahead with now. She entered the room closing and locking the door behind her. Sadie put the key card down on the dresser that was diagonal from the halfway closed bathroom door.

Letting out a sudden breath that she wasn't even aware she was holding in, Sadie slowly proceeded to start undressing as she made her way to the bathroom. First, she took off her shoes, kicking them to who really knows where. Then, she stripped off her dress letting it fall to the floor. Next, she unclasped her bra, throwing it, not knowing or caring where it landed. Lastly, right outside of the bathroom door, which was cracked slightly, she pushed her panties down her legs and stepped out of them.

Once she was completely naked, Sadie pushed open the bathroom door all the way, and tiptoed in, the cool tile of the floor making her shiver. Part of her was suddenly telling her to back track and say no to her urges. The other part of her was telling her she was already naked now and that she might as well finish what she'd already started. The latter part of her won, needless to say.

She could see Eames' silhouette through the shower curtain. Sadie's eyes followed his shadow from head to toe. When she looked back up her breath caught in her throat. He was staring straight at her through the clear part of the shower curtain. Neither spoke a single word or moved even an inch for what felt like an eternity. They just stared at each other almost as if they were both inexperienced and had no idea what they should do next.

Eames finally broke the silence. "What are you doing in here, Sadie?"

Sadie suddenly gained her confidence, the confidence she hadn't realized she was lacking, back and said nothing as she walked over to the shower and grabbed the curtain throwing it open without a word or second thought.

"Sadie," Eames spoke her name almost warningly.

Sadie shook her head and replied, "Shh...don't say anything that'll ruin this moment."

Before he could say anything back she stepped into the shower with him, gasping as the warm water cascaded down her body. She swallowed nervously when she saw the look on his face. Maybe this wasn't so smart after all. Even if it wasn't, Sadie refused to come this far only to back out now based on one look. She'd done that earlier when she kissed him and it had turned out to be different than she thought. So why couldn't the same thing happen now?

"Are you only doing this because Arthur's not here?" Eames asked, even after Sadie had told him not to say a word.

And, there it was. The one question that could possibly ruin all the work she'd done to get where she was now.

Sadie's eye widened and she felt like someone had stabbed her in the heart with a knife and twisted it every which way. In a broken tone, Sadie answered, "This has nothing to do with him not being here! How could you even assume for a second that I'd throw myself at you just because. I'm not that type of girl!

"Sadie, I didn't mean..." Eames suddenly tried to explain.

"Shut up, Eames! Just shut up!" Sadie exclaimed. "This has nothing to do with Arthur, or the fact that he isn't here. It does, however, have everything to do with me and you and our apparently mutual attraction to each other," she explained matter of factly with a small smile.

"I don't know about this Sadie," Eames said doubtfully in protest.

"This is what I want," Sadie assured him leaning up until her mouth was pressed against his ear. "And, I know it's what you want, too." Sadie added in a whisper.

Sadie took a small step back to find him with his eyes closed tightly. She could tell, not only by the way his eyes were clenched shut, but by the way his body tensed against her, and how his breathing was getting heavier and heavier that he was fighting with internally with himself about whether he should give into her or not.

"I can't...we can't..." Eames trailed off.

"Please, Eames. Kiss me...fuck me...just, do anything, but talk anymore, please. Just please," she pleaded, running her hands all over his chest and down, stopping just shy of where she wanted to touch the most.

She wasn't going to go there until her showed her himself that he wanted to go there to. Actions speak louder than words, after all. And, he hadn't done or said anything to show that he wanted to go there, too, yet. She'd only gotten protests of him not wanting to go there. She hoped he's give her what she wanted, but if he didn't, then she's learn to live with that, too.

"This is wrong, Sadie," he said and then moments later clarified, "It's the wrong time for this."

"But, it feels so right. And, we may not even get another shot at this," Sadie pointed out.

"If we were to do this, you know it'll complicate things when Arthur's back," Eames told her.

It suddenly dawned on her that the reason he was questionable about this was not necessarily because he thought he was going to be used to replace Arthur. It was more than that. It was as if he didn't want to ruin what Sadie and Arthur had once had by having sex with her himself. He didn't want to hurt either of them.

"Wait, you don't want to hurt either of us?" Sadie questioned curiously trying to wrap her mind around what she had just realized.

"I do have a heart, you know. I wouldn't want to ruin what you and Arth..."

Sadie shut him up suddenly, standing on her tippy toes and grabbing the back of his head connecting their lips in a frantic kiss. It took a moment for Eames to respond. It seemed almost as if he was still trying to figure out whether he trusted Sadie and what was happening. But, in the end he apparently decided to go along with it. For that, Sadie was relieved and grateful.

When she pulled back a few moments later, she said, "It's fine. We can talk about it when Arthur's back and we can all sort everything out together."

"Sounds good," Eames nodded in agreement.

"But, in the meantime..." Sadie trailed off. "We can still not do anything if you don't..." Sadie said, but didn't get to finish her sentence.

She let out a surprised squeal when Eames picked her up and turned them around to push her back against the slick wall. Instinctively, her legs went to wrap around his waist. Sadie couldn't help the moan that escaped her throat when she felt him half hard in between them. Her eyes widened in delight and she said teasingly, "Now, I know why you changed your mind all of a sudden."

"It'd be awfully stupid to let you get me this riled up and just send you away, wouldn't you agree?" Eames asked smirking at her.

All Sadie could manage was to nod before she closed the space between them and connected their lips in a bruising all tongue and teeth kiss. Sadie was suddenly overcome by many emotions, lust, love, need...any and everything. She couldn't believe she'd waited this long to make a move. Although, she knew exactly why she had waited this long, but she wasn't going to start thinking of that and ruin this moment. This moment that may or may not be a one time moment. Hopefully, it'd be more, but she no one ever knew for sure what they future would bring.

Before letting it get any farther, Sadie pulled away and bluntly asked, "Just so we're clear...you're "clean" right?"

Eames chuckled against her neck, where he had occupied himself when she pulled away and answered, "I assure you, love, I wouldn't be doing this with you if I wasn't."

"How very noble of you, Mr. Eames," Sadie joked before she pulled him back up to connect their lips again, closing her eyes at the sensation that pooled in between her thighs in anticipation for what's to come.

She just couldn't seem to get enough of those lips and that mouth. So kissable and always teasing when all she could do before was look at them and dream of them. She'd be lying if she said she'd never thought about things that she wanted those lips to do to her or dream about how they'd feel on every inch of her skin. It was a common occurrence for her, but now it was finally a part of her reality.

After a minute or so of just kissing, Sadie started to get impatient. As much as she would love to just spend the entire night kissing Eames, kissing wasn't going to do much to satisfy the tingly sensation between her legs. Sadie, though, couldn't seem to find it in her to pry her lips away from Eames all too addicting ones.

So, instead of wasting energy on trying to pull away just yet, she reached beside her and grabbed the hand that Eames was using to lean against the wall and brought it down to where she needed it the most. Surely, he'd get the memo. How much clearer could she get without actually saying something about it. And, get the memo he did.

Eames' fingers inched there way slowly down through the small amount of coarse hair there towards her clit. Had Sadie known this was gonna happen earlier today, she would've straightened up down there more. But, she wasn't exactly a fortune teller. A moan was ellicited from Sadie's throat when Eames pinched her clit lightly between his index finger and thumb.

Sadie couldn't help, but pull away from the kiss, then. They both panted for air for a moment. That is until Eames bent down to press his lips against her throat, moving slowly down her neck, past her collar bone, lower and lower until his mouth latched onto her right breast and he used his free hand to gently knead the left one.

"Oh, f...fuck!" Sadie stammered being overtaken by all the pleasure she was feeling.

"Such language," Eames chuckled sending vibrations through her.

"Your fault," Sadie gasped arching against him. "We...we should...move to the...b...bed," Sadie stuttered getting more and more anxious to get to the actual sex itself, especially feeling Eames' hard on against her.

A whine of protest escaped Sadie when Eames pulled away instantly and let her legs fall to the shower floor.

"Alright, if you say so," he smirked, turning away from her to turn off the water.

"Oh, you ass! I know exactly what you're doing right now," Sadie said rolling her eyes.

"I'm just doing what you said," Eames said, not losing the smirk on his face as he grabbed the towel and stepped out of the shower to dry off.

"Too slow," Sadie replied launching herself at him and not really caring when she half tripped over the side of the tub.

"Easy there," Eames laughed catching her.

"Fuck you," Sadie said to him.

"Not just yet," Eames told her using the now damp towel to dry Sadie off a bit.

Sadie grabbed the towel from him and threw it to the floor, throwing her arms around his neck and jumping up to wrap her legs around his waist. "A little water won't hurt the bed," Sadie said before leaning in and kissing him again.

Moments later, she was being thrown face first onto the bed with a squeal of surprise. She wasn't even aware that Eames had walked them out of the bathroom and to the bed in the first place. She definitely didn't know when Eames had turned her around. That went to show how well her mind was working right now. It was over run by thoughts of what was to come. It wouldn't be long before Eames was filling her up...and, deliciously so.

Sadie shivered at that thought and absentmindedly licked her lips. Pulling her hair together and pushing it over her right shoulder, she looked over her left shoulder to stare at Eames, standing there in all his naked glory. Sadie started from his lower half and moved her eyes up tracing every line of his body, taking in every tattoo that covered him, all the way up to his face. The look on his face was unreadable.

"What's that look for?" Sadie couldn't help but ask.

Without a word, kneeling on the bed with one leg, Eames leaned forward and pressed his lips to her shoulder. Sadie bit her lip and shivered at the soothing feeling that accompanied the kiss on her shoulder. Then, he lightly traced the scaring line with his tongue where Sadie had been stitched up after having the bullet removed the month prior to.

"I almost forgot I even had that scar," Sadie said quietly.

Eames looked up at her at that moment, and spoke in the most serious tone Sadie could recall him ever speaking in, "You shouldn't have it. We should've kept an eye on you more. You would've never..."

Sadie suddenly rolled over onto her back and sat up quickly. "Stop trying to take the blame for something you had no control over," Sadie ordered refusing to listen to any of it. "Don't say another word, Eames," Sadie told him when he opened his mouth to say something else.

"I..."

Sadie shook her head no and kissed him to make sure he didn't say another word that could possibly ruin this moment for good. She laid back and pulled him with her so that he was laying on top of her. Sadie was amazed at how well they fit together. It's like they were meant to be doing this. Maybe even meant to be together. But, that was something to wonder about another day.

Sadie squirmed against Eames when his fingers trailed down her stomach making their way back to where they'd been when they were in the shower. Except this time they didn't stop until they were further down. Oh, so close to where Sadie wanted them at the moment more than she wanted anything else ever in her life.

"Please," she moaned against Eames' lips moving her hand to his to try and get him to move just a bit lower.

"Patience, love," he said pulling away to look down at her.

"Patience is overrated," Sadie said not caring if anything she said actually made sense or not. "I'm not and never will be a patient person."

"Now we can't have that. We'll have to work on that now won't we?"

Sadie nodded willing to agree to or say anything that would make him get a move on right now. "Yeah, sure. Whatever you say or want. But, later," Sadie told him. "But, now. Fingers. Inside me. Please."

Eames chuckled at her persistence before obliging and slipping a finger inside her with surprisingly not much resistance, aided by her wetness. Sadie definitely wanted this. That was for sure. He had barely touched her that much and she was wet. Sadie sighed a happy relieve sigh at the feeling of one of Eames' fingers inside her. When he started moving it in and out of her ever so slowly she felt like she'd internally combust if he kept up with that pace for more than a few seconds.

"Stop teasing, Eames. Give me more," Sadie groaned bucking her hips.

"So greedy, love."

"You know it," Sadie joked looking down at him and winking.

Eames added another finger then and all words and coherent thoughts were lost to Sadie at that moment. All she could manage was curse words.

"Fuck! Damn!"

"You're so wet, love. I wonder how you'd taste."

Sadie licked her lips at his comment and challenged, "Why don't you just find out for yourself?"

Eames licked his lips, mimicking her previous actions and smirked up at her. "Don't mind if I do."

Then, he set to work. Sadie almost bucked off the bed and jumped through the ceiling when she felt his hot mouth on her. It was like something she'd never felt before. It set her on fire. She was sure she'd never be able to get enough of that feeling. If only, there was some way to make sure she'd never have to. But, that was a thought for later when she wasn't so preoccupied by something else.

Sadie froze then and trembled beneath Eames when he flattened his tongue against her clit. She only felt it for a moment before his tongue was gone and she was groaning in protest. The protesting groan was silenced when she felt his tongue lower teasing her hole, but only for a moment because it was taken away seconds later.

"Damn it, Eames! Stop teasing me!" Sadie exclaimed in frustration.

Eames looked up at her and laughed. The look in his eyes was a look of pure mischief.

Sadie didn't have to be a genius to realize that he'd continue to tease her unless she did something about it.

Without a second though, her hands found their way into Eames' hair and she pushed his head back to where she wanted it, silencing his laugh. She could still feel him laughing against her. Any other time in a situation like this she'd want to shut him up completely, but the vibrations from his laugh were giving her too much pleasure for her to stop it now. She'd be a fool if she did that.

"Please, Eames," Sadie moaned needing more than she was getting.

Sadie sighed sigh of relief when Eames took pity on her state of disarray and stopped laughing and teasing, slowly moving his tongue over her in languid strokes. Sadie's grip on Eames' hair got tighter as she bucked against him, trying to pull him even closer to her than he already was if that was even possible. The pace was too slow for Sadie's liking.

"Faster, Eames," she said in a frantic tone.

Eames reached a hand up and pressed against her stomach pinning her to the bed to keep her from bucking again. She could've easily fought his hand away from her and bucked some more if she wasn't so far gone already. Sadie wanted to scream in frustration because she wasn't getting what she so desperately wanted right then and there. But, the want to scream in frustration was suddenly lost to her mind when he sped up the strokes of his tongue and pressed against her clit harder than he had before.

"So good. Oh, so good," Sadie moaned her upper body twisting and turning on it's own accord.

The pleasure was the perfect amount. Sadie could feel the tightening in her lower stomach and knew she wouldn't last much longer. She needed to come at this point more so than she even needed the air she breathed. She was so very close.

"I'm so close," she spoke out loud in a broken moan.

Upon hearing the words, Eames used his free hand to reach between Sadie's legs and pinch her clit between two fingers.

That's all it took for Sadie to see stars. Her toes curling, her back arching, and her legs shaking she came with a loud moan of "Fuck!"

The moan filled the hotel room and reverbed off the walls. Sadie wouldn't have been surprised if someone from the neighboring rooms called the front desk complaining of the noise. Not that she could really bring herself to give a damn at the moment. She could feel Eames groan against her and keep licking her, letting her ride out her orgasm.

Moments later, Eames crawled back up her body. Sadie smiled up at him lazily and momentarily wrecked. He smirked back leaning down to connect their lips in a lazy kiss that was equal to how she felt at the moment. Sadie moaned tasting herself on him. She knew she should be grossed out by it, but for some reason she wasn't. It only seemed to turn her on even more.

Sadie already wanted more. Sensitivity be damned. All the pleasure would be worth the pain. She reached down to grasp his cock in her small hand. Slowly and teasingly like he had teased her only minutes before she smirked against his mouth and started moving her hand up and down his pulsating, fully erect cock. He groaned into her mouth at the feeling.

Still not over teasing him and feeling a bit more greedy than she usually was, Sadie pulled away from. He groaned in protest at the loss of her hand on him. She felt satisfied with herself that she had the power to make him act as such. It would definitely teach him to tease her again. Although, surely if this ever happened again so would more teasing.

"You know, now that I think of it...there's no way that's gonna fit," Sadie said, pushing him away from her slightly, looking down in between them and then back up to his face.

Eames chuckled, but there was slight annoyance in his voice when he replied, "Fine time to think about that."

Sadie shrugged her shoulders. "Sorry," she offered a fake apology. "I didn't mean that as we should stop, though..." she said after a moment. "I just mean that more preparation is needed."

"Like such?" he raised an eyebrow and asked as one of his hands found its way in between her legs and he slid a finger inside of her.

All Sadie could manage was a nod as her eyes fluttered closed and she pushed herself down over his finger. She groaned at the feeling of it not being nearly enough. "Not enough," she told him. "Give me another. No two more. Two wasn't nearly enough earlier."

"You really are a greedy one, love," Eames smirked down at her, using his free hand to caress the side of her face.

Sadie opened her eyes then and smirked back at him. "Sure am. Yep," she agreed popping the 'p'. Then after a moment added, "And you love it."

Instead of agreeing with her out loud, he gave her what she wanted and added two more fingers along with the other one already in side her.

Sadie gasped at the feeling of suddenly being stretched more than she was usually use to. There was a bit of pain to the stretching feeling, but it was the good kind of pain. The good kind of pain that was worth going through because the resulting pleasure was too mind blowing to give up on before being able to feel it.

"Okay, I'm good now. Please fuck me now," Sadie said when words came back to her.

"Thought you'd never ask," Eames said taking his fingers away from her and positioning himself at her entrance.

"Wait, wait, wait," Sadie replied, pushing at his shoulders.

Eames rolled his eyes and backed off. "What now?" he asked.

"I want to be on top," Sadie smiled an innocent smile that didn't fit at all with what she had just said. "Please," she added with a pretend pout looking up at him and batting her eyelashes when he didn't make a move to get off of her.

"How could I say no to that look?" Eames chuckled rolling off of her onto his back.

Sadie grinned wide moving quickly to position herself over him. Grabbing his cock, she positioned it at her entrance and dropped down without warning, tightening around him life a glove, adjusting to his size. Both of them moaned at the feeling of finally being connected. The feeling of Eames inside her was so much better than his fingers were earlier. This was too perfect for words.

They stayed like that for god knows how long just staring lustfully at each other, neither making even the slightest move to interrupt their current position. After a minute or so, Sadie couldn't deal with just sitting there not doing anything. Leaning forward she braced her hands on Eames' chest and lifted off of him, dropping back down hard and fast.

From then on it was a frantic race to the finish. The sounds of moans and groans and the slapping of skin on skin were the only sounds filling the room. They both met each other thrust for thrust, and neither ever messes up the fast and hard pace that they set with each other.

Sadie's eyes were wired shut and she was biting her lower lip, moaning uncontrollably. But, it didn't last long. Sadie's eyes flew open when she felt the bed shift as Eames sat up and then she felt his mouth on one of her breasts, teasing her nipple with his tongue, and one of his hands kneading the other one. Sadie almost lost it right then and there.

"I'm so close," Sadie moaned. "I need to...but, I..." she honestly didn't even know what she was trying to say, coherent thoughts were not forming in her head at the time.

As if he could read her mind, his free hand went between her legs. One touch to her clit and she was seeing stars for the second time that night.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," she exclaimed as she came, clenching tighter around Eames.

A few more thrusts and Eames' was coming as well.

Afterwards, Eames fell back and pulled Sadie down with him. They stayed that way for a few minutes, not moving, just laying there and basking in the afterglow. When she could finally move again, Sadie pulled off and plopped down next to Eames, snuggling up against him. It wasn't long after that Sadie drifted off to sleep, completely happy and content for the first time in a while.

\--------

It was still dark outside when Sadie woke up however long later. The bed next to her was empty when she felt around it. She opened her eyes and let her eyes adjust to the barely lit room. Once her eyes adjusted, she sat up and looked around spotting the clock on the bedside table. It was only half past midnight. She couldn't stop the small yawn from escaping her mouth.

Feeling a chill overcome her, Sadie looked around the room to find the source of the chill. The balcony door was halfway open. Sadie wrapped the blanket around herself and threw her legs over the side of the bed. Standing up, she slowly walked to the door leading out to the balcony and saw Eames leaning against the railing, wearing nothing but a pair of black boxers, smoking a cigarette. It may just have easily been one of the hottest things she'd ever seen in her entire life.

Sadie suddenly had the urge to take the cigarette from him and smoke it herself, so that's just what she did. After taking a drag from the cigarette, Sadie said, "I didn't know you smoked."

"Didn't know you smoked either," he replied back looking at her.

Sadie shook her head. "I don't."

"But, you're smoking now," Eames pointed out.

Sadie looked at the cigarette and then at Eames. She shrugged her shoulders and said nonchalantly, "Hmm, yeah, I guess I am."

She handed it back to him then and a short silence took over.

"I shouldn't have thrown myself at you like that," Sadie blurted out, breaking the silence after a minute or so.

"I'm not complaining," Eames said a small smirk on his face.

Sadie rolled her eyes and laughed. "Yeah, not now."

The small smirk on his face grew to it's usual size as he agree. "No, not now."

"We shouldn't do this again. It's not right," Sadie confessed, feeling slightly guilty that she realized it now instead of before everything went on between them earlier.

Eames' smirk fell off his face then and he raised an eyebrow. "Regretting what we did, love?" he asked.

She looks at him again, but doesn't say anything.

"It was your idea and first move," Eames reminded her then.

Sadie shook her head and insisted, "No, not at all. I don't regret it. It just..."

"It just what?"

"I don't really know. It just suddenly feels wrong."

"You just said you didn't regret it."

"I meant the timing was all wrong. We should be finding Arthur, but instead we're here having sex.

"Your idea, by the way."

Sadie rolled her eyes at him and shook her head in slight disbelief. "Thanks captain obvious," she said jokingly. "No, but really...we should wait until after Arthur's back before doing anything like this again."

The smirk returned. "You're implying that this'll happen again?" he asked.

Sadie shrugged her shoulders and smirked a smirk that rivaled his. "It's always a possibility."

"How about one more time now?" Eames suggested taking Sadie by surprise.

Sadie's eyes widened and she questioned, "You're kidding me, right?"

"It's 12 in the morning. There's nothing else we can do right now," he told her pushing off of the railing and turning to face her.

Sadie thought for a moment, weighing the pros and cons. In the end, the list went to hell and she gave in to what her body was telling her she wanted. The sex was great she couldn't deny it. And, this may be the last time she ever gets to feel him against her, inside her, all over her...everywhere she could ever imagine him being.

"This time is going to have to last us a very long time," Sadie said looking up at him.

"We can arrange that," he smiled mischievously and moved forward to pick her up.

In the process of throwing her arms around his shoulders the blanket unwrapped from around Sadie and dropped to the ground. She looked down at herself naked against him half clothed. When she looked back up at him, she had a far from innocent smile on her face.

"What?" he asked her curiously, almost afraid to know what she was thinking.

"Ever have sex on a balcony?" she asked him suggestively.

"Where anyone walking by could see?" Eames questioned with amusement in his voice.

"Let them see, then," Sadie grinned reaching down to push the boxers off of him and then leaning forward to kiss him as her back hit the wall roughly.


	9. Static

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Feelings faded in and out  
> Tell me what to eager now  
> Hold tight or let it go  
> Oh I don't know  
> Heaven are you really there  
> Or have you disappeared  
> Oh I can't tell  
> It's like I'm talking to myself,"
> 
> \- Everlife
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Inception or its characters. I only own Sadie.

All she could hear was the sound of a gunshot ring throughout the warehouse followed by the sound of a now lifeless body fall to the ground. She turned around, tears filling her eyes and then when she saw the face of the now lifeless person she let out an uncontainable scream of horror and grief. Then, just like that...

Sadie woke up with a start. Tears were already pouring down her face. The nightmare had felt so real. It was as if it had happened in real life right in front of her own eyes. Oh, god! What if that nightmare was foreshadowing what was going to happen if and when Sadie told Nate she wouldn't give herself over to him. It would be all her fault, then.

The tears poured out even more and Sadie did her best to not make any noise. She didn't want to wake up Eames. And, she certainly didn't want him to see her this way. She'd never let any guy she her in such a vulnerable state as the one she was in now. Well, except for that one time when she thought her dad was dead and she cried in front of Arthur.

Oh, god. Arthur. Was that some sort of sign? Did crying in front of a guy when she never did before actually mean something? If it did, then that would mean she was falling or had been falling way to fast for Arthur when she had barely known him yet. But, then where would that leave Eames? And, how would it explain her falling into bed with him so easily on her own accord? If it even would begin explaining it.

Sadie slowly threw the covers off of her and got out of bed. She backtracked her steps from the night before and picked up her clothes, using the little light that was shining through the little opening in the curtains, trying to put them on along the way, but failing miserably. After losing her balance and falling into the wall for the third time, Sadie threw the clothes she was holding down in a huff.

"Sadie?"

Sadie froze in place instantly at the sound of her name being spoken.

And, now he was awake. Well, sneaking out was officially not in the cards anymore. Not wanting to turn around and look at him just yet, mainly have him look at her and see her current emotional state, Sadie bent down and picked up her clothes trying once again to put them on. Eames was awake now so she didn't have any reason to try and get dressed quietly anymore.

Once she was fully dressed she slowly turned around. Instinctively, her hands found their way to her face wiping the tears away. It turned out to be a not so smart move, especially for someone who didn't want the guy she liked and just had sex with see her cry, when Eames sat up in the bed and looked at her a worried expression on his face.

"Are you okay, love?" he asked.

For some reason him calling her "love" now made her melt. A little more than it usually did. There was something about the way he said it when he was concerned about her. It was different than when he was being his usual serious or flirty self, depending on the situation. If the current situation was different than it was, she'd probably even contemplate crawling back into bed with him. But, it wasn't.

"I'm fine," she lied, even though she was certain that he'd call her bluff, a forced smile playing it's way onto her face.

"No, you're not fine."

And, the bluff had been called.

Sadie didn't say anything, afraid that one word about the nightmare she had would cause the waterworks to flow once again.

"Sadie..."

No, no. She wouldn't do it. She wouldn't fall into the tear trap. She couldn't...she wouldn't...she just...

All it took was him saying her name in that concerned and accented voice of his one more time and the tears started to fall again. It was a big surprise to her how fast Eames suddenly got out of bed, put on his boxers, and was at her side.

"I saw him die," Sadie managed to get out in between uncontrollable sobs.

"Saw who die?" Eames asked confused pulling her closer to him.

Sadie laid her head against his bare chest, her tears getting his dry skin wet. "Arthur," she whispered.

"Come sit down," Eames said leading her to the bed, sitting down, and pulling her into his lap.

"It was the most real nightmare I've ever had. It felt so real. Like it was actually happening." Sadie shook as she spoke each word slowly like they were the plague.

"Nothing like that will happen. It was just a nightmare," Eames said trying to calm her down.

"We have to do something. I can't...that nightmare was so real. I can't shake the feeling that it's...we need to get him back," Sadie concluded when she couldn't form any other full thought.

"We don't know where he's being kept. Can't do anything without a location."

A short silence filled the room.

Sadie almost didn't want to break it, but she knew she had to. Holding back anymore tears from falling, Sadie confessed in a whisper, "It wasn't a dead end."

"I'm sorry, I don't understand."

"I know where Nate is keeping Arthur," she admitted a little bit louder.

"You've known all along?" Eames asked pulling away from her, looking at her in disbelief.

Sadie shook her head and answered, "Only since yesterday. When we followed him to the docks..."

Eames cut her off, standing up abruptly. "You said it was a dead end."

She didn't even try to deny it. "And, I lied," she said with a sigh. She wasn't exactly happy with the fact, especially not now.

"You lied when Arthur's life is on the line?"

Sadie thought about how to answer for a moment. "Okay, so maybe it wasn't the smartest idea of mine to lie. But, I couldn't tell you and have you rush into things. I know what I'm doing."

"Do you now?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Yes, I do," Sadie said confidently, nodding her head.

"And, that's letting Nate have all the control?" Eames stated in a tone that seemed like he was questioning the statement himself.

It was a good thing Sadie was sitting down on the bed still. If she hadn't been, then she was sure to have lost her balance because of shock. She couldn't believe he'd accuse her of giving Nate all the control. Maybe, she made everyone think Nate was in control, but she was definitely the real beholder of all the control. Let them all think what they will. It didn't make it shock her any less, though, when Eames said it.

"I can't believe that you just said that to me!" Sadie exclaimed, eyes widening at the question, in disbelief. "I have not given Nate all the control over this!"

"Really? Because, you could've fooled me," Eames hissed.

There was a long, angry pause between them with them glaring holes through each other. Eames was the one to break the silence after a few minutes.

"Do you even care about Arthur as much as you claim to?" he asked, letting anger decide what he said, and not thinking it through before saying it. "Because I think that if you really did, then you'd have told me the truth when I asked you yesterday, so that we could've come up with a plan to get him back as soon as possible."

"Of course, I care! How dare you accuse me of such a thing!"

"You haven't been doing too terribly much to get Arthur back these past few days. Well, other than talking to Nate and doing what he wants you to."

Now that was just crossing a line that should not be crossed. Sadie was hot with anger to the point where she just had to get out of there before she did something she'd regret. "You know what? Just...fuck you!"

"I already did!" Eames shot back.

Sadie's jaw dropped and her eyes widened in shock. Well, that was extremely uncalled for. She wasn't even going to dignify that with a response. But, then she thought of a reply and it came out anyways.

"Well, I can assure you that it'll never happen again!" Sadie hissed in return.

"Never say never," Eames smirked still not losing the anger in his voice.

Sadie rolled her eyes and replied, "Oh, but it's so fun! Never, never, never, never!"

Fuming with anger, Sadie then glared at him trying to decide whether she wanted to wait for him to reply, say something else, or did she want to do something. In the end, Sadie decided to just leave. Without another word, she grabbed her heels off of the floor and turned around, storming out of the room, letting the door slam shut loudly behind her.

That was probably the worst morning after Sadie remembered ever having. Of course, she'd be the one to think of such a thing after getting into a fight. Typical, Sadie.

\--------

It was half past noon and Ariadne was already fed up with Eames' attitude. He wasn't his usual self, and Ariadne couldn't figure out why. The last time she'd seen him everything was normal, nothing out of the usual. So, obviously something had happened between then and now. Ariadne wasn't sure what, but it was in her nature to figure out what was going on.

"Alright, that's it," Ariadne said with a frustrated sigh, turning in her chair to look at Eames. "Why are you in such a foul mood today?" Ariadne asked not at all impressed by Eames' attitude.

"Ask Sadie," Eames answered with no feeling in his voice not even bothering to look at her.

Ariadne raised an eyebrow, "But, I asked you."

Eames glanced at her for a moment. "And, I told you to ask Sadie."

"Did something happen between you and Sadie that I don't know about?" Ariadne asked, wondering what changed so quickly since the last time she'd seen Sadie and Eames, they'd been on good terms.

"Ask Sadie. I'm sure she'll have no trouble telling you," was all he said.

"That doesn't really answer my question."

"Then stop asking because that's all you're getting," Eames snapped.

"Seriously, what has gotten into you?" Ariadne asked very much taken back by Eames' current attitude.

Eames glared at her instead of giving her an answer.

Ariadne groaned in frustration and stood up abruptly. "Fine, okay. I'll go ask, Sadie," she said turning to leave the room. At the door, she stopped and turned back around. "You know, I don't know what your problem is, but with that attitude we're never going to get Arthur back alive," Ariadne told him. "You should do whatever you have to in order to lose said attitude," she added a moment later. "Before you ruin this for everyone of us."

She stood there for a moment to see if he'd reply. When he didn't even look at her, she shook her head and turned, leaving without another word.

~Unbroken~

Sadie was on the phone when she heard a knock at the door. Looking through the peephole see saw Ariadne standing there. Sadie thought about whether she should let her in and end the call or pretend she wasn't there and not answer the door. In the end, she let her in and ended the call.

"I have to go. Call me tomorrow. Or maybe I'll call you," Sadie said hanging up and placing her phone on the counter. "So, what's up?" Sadie asked turning to face Ariadne.

"Do you by any chance know what's wrong with Eames today?" Ariadne asked sitting down on the couch.

Sadie froze upon hearing the question. "Umm...no," she lied after a moment of saying nothing while turning to face Ariadne. "Why would I?" she asked leaning back against the counter trying to act as nonchalant and clueless as she could.

"He told me to ask you," Ariadne answered looking doubtfully at Sadie.

Well, there's no way she could lie anymore now. Of course, Eames just had to say that she'd know what was wrong with him. It only made her mad at him that much more. Sadie just couldn't catch a break today it seemed.

"Oh, he did, did he?" Sadie grounded out fighting to keep from clenching her teeth.

Ariadne nodded. "What happened, Sadie?"

Sadie wasn't sure how to answer that. She didn't want Ariadne to know that she'd spent the night with Eames. Especially, given the fact that Ariadne was sure to not be much into the whole sleep with guys who work together occasionally situation. Sadie didn't even want to know what Ariadne would say or do if she found out.

"Umm...well," Sadie started, but then stopped.

"You can tell me, Sadie. I'm sure I'll understand," Ariadne told her.

"I know you would," Sadie agreed.

Alright, so that was a lie. Sadie was sure she wouldn't understand the truth. So, Sadie went with the first thing that came to mind. It wasn't a complete lie, but it wasn't exactly the truth either. "I had a nightmare, and I called him to talk about it. Then, before I know it not realizing I said it I told him that I knew where Nate was keeping Arthur," Sadie explained in half truths, looking down to play with the bottom of her shirt.

"You told him!" Ariadne's eyes widened. "Well, that does explain his attitude...even towards me."

Sadie nodded in agreement, not even a single thought about correcting her in her mind.

"But, I take it that's not all that happened because you're not acting like your usual self today either. You seem like there's something else you want to say," Ariadne cocked an eyebrow at her, urging her to say what else was on her mind.

Sadie couldn't argue that Ariadne was wrong because she wasn't. There was one other thing she had to get off her chest.

"He accused me of not caring as much about Arthur as I claim to," Sadie said closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, letting it out moments later. "I sometimes feel like they had this secret past together that I don't know about," Sadie admitted.

Ariadne laughed apparently thinking Sadie was joking.

Sadie opened her eyes and looked at Ariadne with a serious look on her face.

Ariadne abruptly stopped laughing when she saw the look. "Oh, you're serious," she said clearing her throat.

Sadie nodded her head. "Maybe, I'm over thinking everything given the circumstances and how much pressure is on me right now."

Ariadne nodded in agreement. "Yeah, more than likely that's it."

"Yeah, maybe, so," Sadie smiled briefly feeling surprisingly bummed out by the thought. It made no sense to her, though, so she just brushed it off and pushed it to the back of her mind. Pushing herself off of the counter, Sadie walked over to the couch and sat down next to Ariadne. "You know, before I forget...I wanted to apologize for being sort of a bitch to you the past few days."

Ariadne looked at her cluelessly. "Why are you apologizing? I deserved it all."

Sadie shook her head and replied, "No, you really didn't."

"Yes, I did, Sadie," Ariadne argued.

"Why don't you just take the apology, Ariadne?" Sadie asked not understanding why Ariadne would want to keep the feeling of guilt she's sure she's had ever since Sadie found out about her part in Inception on her.

"Because..." Ariadne said trailing off as she stood up. Turning back to look down at Sadie, she went on. "I invaded your privacy and then acted like nothing out of the ordinary happened. That's not what a good cousin does. Family doesn't do that to family."

Sadie sighed and stood up. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm still a bit mad about that," Sadie told her. "But, Eames told me that the three of you were willing to make me hate you to save me. It's flattering almost to know that you three were willing to do that. It makes it easier to work on forgiving you all. But, I'll never forget it."

"I wouldn't expect anything more or less from you, Sadie," Ariadne spoke assuringly.

Sadie smiled a brief smile and replied, "Good, because you'd end up very disappointed if you did expect anything else."

"Yeah, I know," Ariadne said cracking a small smile.

Sadie smiled back. "Feel a little better now?" Sadie asked her.

Ariadne nodded.

"Good. So, maybe one of these days we'll be able to get back to how we were before," Sadie suggested positively.

"I'd like that."

"Me, too," Sadie agreed, pulling Ariadne into a hug.

"Hey, Sadie," Ariadne said pulling away from her.

"Yeah?" Sadie questioned.

"Why are there scrapes on your back?" Ariadne asked curiously.

Sadie's eyes widened and she didn't even try to move away from Ariadne. The look on her face would give away a lot, and Sadie was not ready for that yet. Nor would she be anytime soon. Oh, shit. So, maybe sex against the rough balcony wall wasn't such a great idea, after all. Even though at the time it had been. She couldn't tell her the truth. But, what lie would cover up this truth?

"Umm...I'm not sure. You know me, though. Clumsy and forgetful. Who knows?" Sadie shrugged nonchalantly turning and walking around the counter to the kitchen. "Can I get you something to drink?" Sadie asked trying to change the subject.

"Let me guess, drunken night out with friends gone wrong?" Ariadne suggested, knowing Sadie quite well.

"Umm, yeah, sure," Sadie nodded in agreement. Well, it was closer to the truth, and made Sadie feel a little less guilty. "Let's go with that."

Ariadne opened her mouth to say something else, but Sadie stopped her.

"So, about that drink?" she asked opening the fridge.

"Yeah, sure," Ariadne answered making her way to the counter.

"This isn't over is it?" Sadie asked when she turned around drinks in hand.

Ariadne shook her head no.

"Thought so," Sadie sighed.

She just hoped she could come up with a lie that would get Ariadne to drop the subject. Anything but the truth at this point was good in Sadie's mind.


	10. He Said, She Said

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "One night with you, boy, just one night with you,  
> All the things we could do,  
> Every day I think of
> 
> One night with you  
> No one else but us two  
> All our dreams would come true  
> If we'd just get together,"
> 
> \- Ashley Tisdale
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Inception or its characters. I only own Sadie.

It was about 8:15 when Eames showed up at her apartment. Sadie hadn't expected him to come by after what had transpired this morning. Quite frankly, she kind of hoped he wouldn't. But, at the same time another part of her was happy when she opened her door to find him standing there, leaning against the doorway.

She had a while to cool down and process in her mind what had happened this morning. And, the more she thought about it, the more she realized that Eames did have a good point. In a way, Sadie was playing by Nate's rules. Well, so everyone thought. But, everytime Nate called her, Sadie was pretty quick to jump at doing or saying whatever Nate was asking of her. So, the point was made and it was proven to be true.

Without a small smile on his face, Eames held out a bottle of Schnapps as soon as Sadie opened the door.

Sadie couldn't help but roll her eyes at the gesture. She cocked an eyebrow at him and asked, "Do you actually think that that's gonna make everything okay?"

Eames seemed to ponder the question for a moment before her answered with a question of his own, "Well, does it?"

Sadie took it from him and shrugged, turning and walking to the kitchen, "I guess it's a start."

"So, what's it gonna take?" Eames asked walking in and closing the door behind him.

"What's what gonna take?" Sadie called back.

"For you to forgive me for my accusation this morning."

Sadie thought for a moment before walking back into the living room. With her arms crossed over her chest, she stood there looking at him. "An apology," she said after a moment.

"That's all?"

Sadie nodded her head. "And, please, do mean it," she told him.

"As if you think I wouldn't mean it," Eames said feigning being wounded with a hand over his chest.

"I know you enough. Apologies don't seem to be your things," Sadie pointed out.

"They're not," Eames confirmed.

"Exactly, my point. So, therefore, I'm almost 100% positive that you probably don't mean the ones that you do end up saying," Sadie concluded.

"Alright, well here it goes, then..." Eames trailed off for a moment before picking back up with, "I'm sorry for earlier, Sadie. I didn't mean to offend you. I allowed anger to get the best of me and it was wrong of me to do."

Sadie looked at him with a shocked expression, not having expected that from him. "Umm...you are aware that a simple I'm sorry would've sufficed, right?" she asked him.

"Now, you tell me."

Sadie laughed. "But thank you," she smiled a sincere smile at him. "So, can I get you a beer?" Sadie asked uncrossing her arms and turning back to go to the kitchen again.

"I'd be forever grateful. Thank you, love," Eames answered sitting back on the couch and propping his feet on the coffee table.

"I heard that!" Sadie called from the kitchen.

"Heard what?"

"Feet off the coffee table. That's not what they're made for," Sadie scolded from the kitchen.

"Oh, I do apologize once again," Eames said putting his feet back on the ground. "How come I'm just now learning of you being this meticulous about things?"

"Because you never stayed long enough to make yourself comfortable," Sadie answered as she returned from the kitchen with a beer for him in hand and a glass of Schnapps on ice for herself.

"Thanks, pet," Eames smiled taking the beer from her.

Sadie raised an eyebrow. "So, it's pet now?"

"Thought I'd change it up. Why does it bother you? I'll go back to calling you, love, if you'd like."

Sadie shrugged as she sat down next to him. "It's fine. Not a big deal."

"So, you're skipping work again, I take it?" he asked looking at her as he opened and took a swig of the beer.

Sadie suddenly pouted. "I'm sick. Can't you tell?" she asked, fake coughing.

"Oh, you're an evil genius," Eames smirked at her.

Sadie looked at him with an innocent look on her face. "Am I really? I hadn't noticed before."

\--------

By time Sadie realized what time it was, it was already two in the morning. Sadie hadn't even realized that the time had gone by so fast. She would've never thought in a million years that time would have gone by so quickly because she was talking to Eames. Of all people, he was the last person she would've expected to be talking to all night long.

"You know you could just stay here. After all, it's two in the morning," Sadie said as Eames stood up to leave.

Eames shrugged making his way to the door. "The hotel isn't that far away," he assured her opening the door.

"Yeah, so?" she asked him, standing and walking over to push the door closed and lock it. "You have to come back later, and you're already here. You might as well stay," she said leaning against the door to keep him from trying to leave again.

"All my clothes are at the hotel," Eames argued.

Sadie shrugged her shoulders and looked at him unphased. "Stop making excuses. You didn't do anything to get your clothes dirty today. There's nothing wrong with wearing them until later this evening," she told him pointly.

"It wouldn't be tempting?" he asked her after a moment a slightly suggestive look on his face.

"What is that suppose to mean?" Sadie asked in return, pushing off the door.

"You know what that's suppose to mean."

"You're sleeping in the guest room. It'll be fine," Sadie said walking past him.

"If you say so."

"Oh, I say so," Sadie called back already half way down the hall to her room. "The bed's made already. Last door on the left."

"Right down the hall from your room?" Eames asked, the smirk on his face evident even without Sadie looking at him.

Sadie stopped and turned suddenly. "Don't you even dare," she said sternly pointing her finger at him in a scolding manner.

"I wouldn't," Eames said as he started walking closer to her. "But, I'm sure you would," Eames whispered into her ear.

"What is that suppose to mean?" Sadie asked looking at him like he was crazy as she took a step back from him. "Are you trying to put thoughts into my head?"

"No such thing, pet," Eames smiled. "Remember, you asked me to stay over. See you later," he said pressing a kiss to her forehead before retreating to the guest room.

"What a damn tease," Sadie sighed, shaking her head. "And, I thought I was a tease," Sadie thought to herself, turning to head to her own room, closing and locking the door just to be on the safe side.

But, she couldn't figure out if she was locking the door because of him...or because of herself.

\--------

Sadie tossed and turned restlessly in her bed. Usually, she fell asleep in under 10 minutes, but tonight she couldn't seem to. Actually, it had been a couple of hours already. Eames' words kept replaying themselves in her head, "But, I'm sure you would," and she kept thinking about Eames right down the hall. She knew what those words meant, and she knew that he was probably right. If she got up to go there like she wanted to, then he'd be right, and that just couldn't happen. She couldn't let him be right. Right? She couldn't, could she?

She turned her head looked at the clock seeing that it was 4:11. That's it. She needed to get some sleep. Obviously, tossing and turning with so many bad thoughts in her head wasn't going to get her to sleep, so she was going to have to do something that she knew would tire her out and help her drift into much needed sleep.

With that, she ended up losing her inner battle. She threw the covers off of herself and got out of bed with urgency. As quickly as she could she tip toed to the door, unlocking it and opening it. Her feet took her out of her bedroom and down the hall, pausing momentarily when there was a small creak in the floor board as she walked, until she was standing right outside of the guest bedroom door.

She stood there once again fighting another inner battle with herself. That inner battle she sort of won and she went to turn back around to go back to her room. Before she could, though, the guest room door opened. Apparently the creak from moments before had told him of her presence. Or had he been sitting up waiting for her, knowing that this would happen? His words from earlier would make that much more sense if that were the case.

"What are you doing, Sadie?" he asked, looking at her with a knowing smile.

Sadie suddenly looked and felt like a deer caught in the headlights. Well, that is until she glanced down and realized that Eames was standing there in front of her in only his boxers. Sadie held a breath in and freaked out on the inside. But, on the outside, with Eames she kept up the deer caught in the headlights look of shock. She'd already seen him naked, so seeing him in his boxers shouldn't freak her out. So, maybe it was something else.

"Oh my god!" she screamed loudly in her head. Then out loud she spoke, "I...umm...uhh...I'm...nothing."

Eames stood there a slight smirk taking the place of the smile from moments ago and that knowing look still on his face.

"I should just...umm...I..." she still couldn't get a coherent sentence out.

Neither knew who made the first move, but suddenly their lips were smashing in a searing kiss and they were tripping over each other making their way over to the bed. Sadie pushed Eames down on the bed once he'd backed completely against it and crawled on top of him already working her night t-shirt over her head to reveal that she wasn't wearing a bra.

Unlike the night before, there couldn't be any foreplay. Sadie needed it too badly and it showed when she stripped herself of her shorts and Eames of his boxers, impaling herself on him without warning. The action caused a sharp mixture of pain and pleasure to coarse through her as she was forced to adjust to him. So, maybe she hadn't thought it through in her urgency to get him inside of her again.

She breathed in deep breath and let it out before pulling herself off of him and dropping herself back down, setting a rapid, needy pace. It was fast and hard and nothing else. It was exactly what she needed at that moment. She needed it like plants needed sun to grow, and fish needed water to live. It was like her life, at that current moment in time, depended on an orgasm.

After a while, she found herself getting tired. Just like that it was almost too much for her any longer. Eames must of sensed it because moments later Sadie was lying on the bed with Eames pounding into her, his pace the same as hers had been when she was on top of him. They both didn't last much longer after that. A few more thrusts and she was coming, being ridden through her orgasm with Eames spilling inside of her, slowing his paces, but not stopping completely just yet.

Once it was over, Eames pulled out of her and rolled over onto his back.

"Thanks for that," Sadie surprised herself by saying before she fell asleep.

She could almost swear she heard Eames say, "Anything for you, love."

But, she couldn't be too sure. She was way too exhausted to even be able to trust her own ears.

\--------

It was a few hours later when Sadie was pulled out of her sleep by the sound of her phone ringing. As stealthily as she could Sadie maneuvered her way out of Eames' grip. Getting out of bed, Sadie bent down to pick up her t-shirt and shorts, putting them on. Then, she tiptoed her way out of the bedroom, down the hall to her own bedroom where her phone was.

"Hold on a second," Sadie said when she answered the phone, giving the person on the other end of the line no time to say anything else and placed the phone against her chest.

Sadie went back down the hall and looked into the guest room to make sure Eames was still asleep. When she saw that he was she slowly and quietly closed the door. Then, she turned back and walked into the living room, bringing the phone back up to her ear.

"Alright, go on," Sadie said into the phone.

"You remember what we discussed yesterday?" the person on the other end of the phone asked.

"Yes, I do. I remember loud and clear," Sadie smiled. "But, I can't get into it right now."

"Oh, do you have someone over?"

"Maybe, maybe not."

"I'm gonna take that as a yes."

"Take it however you want."

"Oh, I will."

"I'm hanging up on you now."

The person on the other end of the line laughed. "Call me back when you find out a time and place."

"Will do," Sadie smirked and hung up.


	11. Not Yours Truly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Watch me, as I'm coming in the room I feel your stare   
> Watch me, in a crowd of people I can feel you there   
> Watch me, cause I'm mine and you don't own me   
> Watch me, I'll use you and abuse you then leave you lonely ,"
> 
> \- Cassie Steele
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Inception or its characters. I only own Sadie and Nate.

It wasn't long after she hung up the phone that it rang again. Sadie already knew who it was without even looking at the Caller ID. He was beginning to get predictable. But, she was counting on it. It made it easier for herself to put together her plan in her head. The more he called, the more she knew just when to flip the switch from guilty and in control to innocent and weak.

As soon as Sadie answered the phone, he asked not even giving her the chance to say hello, not that she had even wanted to, "You have fun last night?"

"What? What kind of question is that?" Sadie asked honestly caught off guard by his question. What did he know about last night?

"I know Eames stayed over last night," Nate confessed jealousy not hidden at all in his voice.

"What the...?" she started and then stopped. Was he serious? "Have you been staking out my apartment?" she asked outraged.

Nate chuckled on the other end of the line. "You're mine, Sadie. I like to know what...or should I say who you're doing at all times," he told her.

A sick chill ran up Sadie's spine and she hissed over the phone, "You sick bastard!"

Nate ignored her and went on, "Here's how this is going to work, Sadie. Now that I know you're involved with Eames, too...you're going to give yourself to me. Otherwise, he's going to end up just like Arthur."

"You wouldn't," Sadie said in a disbelieving tone. "You couldn't even get to him."

"I got to Arthur didn't I?" Nate pointed out.

"Oh, you fucking asshole!" she spat thinking to herself that he was lucky she couldn't crawl through the phone and give him a piece of her mind.

Nate laughed at her and then asked, "So, what's it gonna be?"

Sadie took a deep breath. "Well, here goes nothing," she thought to herself before she answered Nate's question, "Yes, okay. You let Arthur go, and I'll give you another chance."

The smirk was very evident in his voice as Nate said, "I thought you'd see it my way. Although, I do have to confess that I'm shocked you didn't put up more of a fight. Unless, of course..."

Sadie cut him off already knowing what he was going to say, but not wanting to hear it because she was sure she'd break once he did, and everything would no longer go as planned. "But, I want proof that you've let him go...alive...before I hand myself over to you," she said in a no bullshit tone of voice.

Nate sighed and Sadie could just imagine him shaking his head. "Oh, Sadie. Why don't you sound more happy about this. We're going to have such a great life together. We'll move away from here and start over completely new. It'll be like the past few months never even happened."

With each and every word Nate said, Sadie felt sicker and sicker, her hand tightening around the phone while her other hand balled itself into a fist. Oh, how she wished they were face to face right now so that she could knock him slam on his ass.

Sternly, she spoke, "I want to know he's alive and that he's really free."

"Hmm, well, then..." Nate trailed off considering her words. "I guess I can allow that," he said after a moment.

"Allow it?" Sadie asked taking the phone away from her ear for a moment to look at it in disbelief.

What the hell? Since when did he control everything she got or didn't get? Alright, well that answer was probably when she found out he took Arthur. And, also now that she knew that he would do the same to Eames if Sadie didn't give him what he wanted. Which, sadly was herself.

"Do you want this to happen your way or not?" he asked.

"Yes," she breathed out.

"Alright, we'll meet up and make a fair trade at the same time. That way we each get what we want."

Now that just so happened to be a good reply. Sadie couldn't help but smile a little. That had been what she was counting on happening the whole time. "You mean, you do. I'm still gonna be on the losing end because I'm stuck with you," she told him sounding as displeased as she could muster, which really wasn't that hard to do.

"Sadie, Sadie, Sadie...I'll change your mind over time. This is how it's meant to be. You know it, I know it, Arthur knows it..." Nate once again trailed off, but this time it was because Sadie stopped listening to him all together.

She suddenly felt like she could cry at hearing Nate says Arthur's name. What the hell was she doing? Yes, she wanted him safe...but at the same time...he wouldn't be safe in the long run because as soon as he found out she'd traded herself for him he'd do any and everything to save her back. So, basically, there was no way that they'd all really win. The only happy one in the end of all of this would be Nate.

Well, at least that's what he thought and what she wanted him to think. Sadie just hoped that everything would really go as planned, despite the slight weird feeling that she felt in her gut, and that Nate wouldn't throw something at her at the last moment and screw it all up. Knowing Nate it wouldn't surprise her, which is why she was willing to take matters literally into her own hands if need be.

"Where do you want to meet?" she asked when she finally let go of her thoughts and came back to reality.

"Same place we met up the first time," Nate answered simply.

"Fine. When?" she questioned.

Sadie couldn't help but start to have second thoughts about all of this. What if something went wrong and someone got killed who didn't need to be killed? She couldn't even begin to imagine how she'd feel for the rest of her life. But, luckily, she was putting her life as well as others into the hands of not only herself, but a few people she herself truly trusted.

"Tonight, 10 sharp. Don't be late," Nate ordered making sure to get the last part across very sternly.

"Fine," Sadie said and with that she hung up.

"What the hell was that?" Eames asked from behind her.

Sadie jumped at the sound of Eames' voice suddenly behind her. Her eyes widened and she couldn't make herself turn around. How could she face him after what she had just done. Surely, by the tone of his voice, he'd heard the whole entire conversation on her part. She had just made a deal with the devil himself, pretty much. But, that's what she had meant to do. Though, that didn't stop it from hurting her when she heard the angry, concerned tone of Eames' voice.

"Sadie!" Eames called her name loudly.

"I had to do it," Sadie said avoiding eye contact with Eames by refusing to turn around to face him.

"You didn't have to agree to give yourself up like that," Eames replied shaking his head. "You don't have to do anything that you don't want to."

"Yes, I did," Sadie told him.

"Why?"

"He threatened you, too!" Sadie exclaimed turning around to face him then. "I had no way to keep him from taking Arthur, but I can keep him from taking you. And, if giving myself up to him is the way to make sure he won't and can't, then that's what I'll do," Sadie explained, making a mental note to keep from telling Eames the real truth behind why Nate was doing what he was doing. What he didn't know, wouldn't kill him. Well, of course, assuming her plan didn't fail and get them all killed.

"He couldn't take me if he tried."

"He took Arthur. And, that never seemed possible," Sadie pointed out. "I can't go through this again."

"You won't have to," Eames assured her.

And, that was all it took. Tears poured down her face like a waterfall and she felt her legs give out from under her. She braced herself for the pain that would come when she hit the floor with a thud. But, it never came. Instead, she felt Eames' arms around her as they pulled her into his strong embrace.

"I...I don't...oh, god..." Sadie couldn't manage a coherent sentence as she dug her fingers and pressed her face into Eames' bare chest.

\--------

"She did what?!" Ariadne shrieked over the phone truly shocked by what she was hearing as Eames told her what had happened not even ten minutes ago.

"She told Nate she'd give herself to him in exchange for Arthur's freedom," he repeated to her.

"But, she...that can't...why would she?" Ariadne wasn't even sure what to say to that. Had Sadie finally lost her ever-loving mind?

Knowing that Sadie didn't want Ariadne to know about them, Eames lied, "She didn't say."

"She must've panicked and it just came out with her. She's never been one to do well under pressure," Ariadne said.

"It's possible," he agreed, not bothering to correct her and maybe or maybe not saying something that would give the truth away.

"So, what? We're getting Arthur back and losing Sadie to that jackass?" Ariadne asked trying to process everything that she had just heard.

"No, that's not how it's going to go down."

"What are you planning?"

"Nate thinks he's going to get Sadie in exchange for Arthur, but we're not going to hold up our end of the bargain," he explained.

"Oh, so, we'll have him give us Arthur first and then we'll somehow distract him long enough for all of us to get out of harms way."

"Yeah, something like that," Eames confirmed.

Ariadne could hear Sadie hissing in the background, "He's dead. I swear he's dead. He won't make it past tonight," but didn't really think too much of it.

If only either of them had actually paid any attention to the tone of her voice, they would've realized that she meant every single word if it. But, neither of them did.

\--------

Sadie waited, secretly eavesdropping on the conversation Ariadne and Eames were having, until Eames hung up the phone with Ariadne to excuse herself to her bedroom. She knew what she was doing was wrong. She was playing everyone just like they had played her. It didn't exactly make it right, but at least she'd have something to use to make it easier on her when everyone found out the truth later that night.

Sadie couldn't believe that Nate actually believed that she was just going to give herself over to him. He must really be blindly in love with her or just plain stupid and obsessive for thinking it'd actually be that easy. Sadie had a feeling that it'd end up being the latter. Nate never did believe that anyone in the world could ever one up him. Sadie couldn't wait to be the first one to prove him wrong.

She should feel bad for what she was doing, but she didn't. She was the one calling all of the shots. She just played the innocent victim role to make sure she got her way. She was sure she'd feel bad later, but not now. Right now she was too busy looking forward to finally getting Nate out of her life for good. She'd deal with whatever consequences there may be once everything went back to normal. And, she'd be free from the past for good.

Sadie pulled out her phone and dialed the familiar number.

"Hello, Sadie."

"Everything's set."

"When is it going down?"

"Tonight. 10pm sharp."


	12. Go Dark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Now I'm blacker than black  
> I don't know my way back  
> I reach for a hand and they started to laugh  
> Don't see color no more  
> Coming straight from my soul  
> They put black in my bones  
> Told me to get on with the show  
> I caught myself from going dark
> 
> There's worse things than dying  
> No, I don't stress about pain  
> But you've put a world on my shoulder  
> Took my color away  
> I hope you get dark
> 
> So you're blacker than black  
> And you won't know your way back  
> You'll reach for a hand  
> And I'll laugh like you laughed  
> Won't see color no more  
> But you'll feel black in your soul  
> I'll get on with the show  
> And leave you out in the cold
> 
> I made you go dark,"
> 
> \- Cassie Steele
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Inception or its characters. I only own Sadie, Landon, Ashton and Nate.

It was 10pm sharp and Sadie was at the docks with Eames and Ariadne waiting for Nate. Sadie already knew ahead of time that Nate was not going to be coming alone. She hadn't told either Eames or Ariadne that, though. It was all a part of the plan. She had to continue making Nate believe he was the one in control of everything. The big reveal would be so much more worth it then.

In a situation like this Sadie could only trust herself, which is the reason why she never told anyone else about the plan to begin with. So far, the plan was a success. No one who shouldn't suspect something expected anything. She had played them all well, and even though she felt a hint of guilt she knew when it was all said and done it wouldn't be for nothing.

Sadie looked around to see if Nate was coming yet. When she saw that he wasn't she turned to face Eames and Ariadne. She wasn't going to tell them everything now, but she wanted to let them know not to get in her way. In a way, they were only there to keep Nate from realizing that there was a whole different plan in action.

"When he gets here, I don't want either of you to do anything."

"You're insane, Sadie," Ariadne protested shaking her head. "I'm not just standing back and doing nothing."

"What could you possibly do?" Sadie asked in a harsher tone than she meant. "I didn't mean it like that," she corrected herself instantly.

"Ariadne's right. We're not just going to stand back and let you give yourself up to Nate," Eames agreed taking a step closer to Sadie.

Sadie smiled rather mischievously. "Who ever said I was really going to give myself up to him?" she asked catching both Ariadne and Eames off guard.

"What are you talk..."

Sadie wasn't sure which one was asking the question because she was focusing on the sound of trucks pulling up behind her. Apparently, Nate decided that then was a good time to show up. Sadie turned to look behind her in the blink of an eye. Of course, he'd bring back up. She had called it from the very beginning and she was right as always. Nate could be quite predictable at times.

"I see you made it on time," Nate said getting out of the passenger seat of the first truck.

"Of course. You're in charge remember," Sadie said feeling sick just saying the words, even if she didn't really mean it, and was just playing him like a fiddle.

Nate smirked a devilish smirk. "Glad you finally know your place."

Sadie couldn't stop from rolling her eyes even if she had tried to. "Where's Arthur?"

"He's around," Nate answered simply slowly walking towards her a bit almost as if he was a predator and she was his prey.

Sadie took a step back. "Keep your distance, Nate. I want to see him before this goes any farther, " she demanded.

"I thought you already proved that you knew who was calling the shots," Nate said tsking at her.

Sadie glared at him, wishing that a glare could kill. If it could, then he'd have been dead a very long time ago. "You really think it's that easy?" Sadie asked.

Nate shook his head. "I suppose not. You're use to having control over your life. I'm sure it's hard realizing that now you don't and you never will again."

"So, that's how it's gonna be then, Nate? I'm gonna become your "slave" once we trade?" Sadie asked allowing him to believe he was in control just a little while longer.

The more she gave him the so called "power," the more she'd love it when she took his power and shoved it right up his...well, right in his face.

"No, not at all. After a while, you'll learn to except it and you'll fall into life with me like we were never apart at all."

Sadie was already over all of this. Screw playing along anymore. She'd just have to enjoy shoving his "power" in his face however it'd be now. "Show me, Arthur, so we can get this over with already," Sadie demanded.

"I should scold you for taking control, but I always did love how fiesty you are when you want to be," Nate smiled a sadistic smile before gesturing to someone in the second truck.

And, I should call you a dumbass for actually thinking you're in control, was what Sadie wanted to say back to him. But, it wasn't the right time to say such a thing. not just yet.

Sadie's breath suddenly caught in her throat when she saw Arthur for the first time in months. Considering the situation they were in it wasn't the best predicament, but she still couldn't stop the small smile that found it's way onto her face through all of the disgust and anger. Regardless of how bruised and battered he was it was a pretty relieving moment to see that he was still alive.

Sadie looked from Arthur to Nate and opened her mouth to say something.

"You first, Sadie," Nate said not giving her a chance to say anything already knowing what she was going to ask him next.

Sadie shook her head. "No, him first."

"I figured you'd be stubborn as such," Nate told her rolling his eyes.

"Yep, that's me," Sadie said taking a single step forward. "Stubborn Sadie."

"You've got that right," Nate agreed. "Now come on we don't have all night."

"Him, first," Sadie said sternly glaring at Nate.

Nate sighed a frustrated sigh. "Is this how it's gonna be, Sadie? I had hoped it wouldn't be like this."

"Oh, I'm sorry, did you think it was actually going to be that easy?" Sadie asked mimicking what he had said to her the first time they'd seen each other again only days ago."

"Sadie," Nate said in a warning tone.

"Nate," Sadie spat back in the same tone refusing to back down.

"So, this is how it's going to be, then?"

"Sure is," Sadie took one more small step and then looked back at Ariadne and Eames. "Don't do anything. Just let me handle this," she told them.

Both opened their mouths to protest.

Sadie shook her head and said again, "Don't do anything." Then so they can hear but no one else can she whispered, "I've got a plan. Just trust me."

"Sadie watch out!" Ariadne exclaimed suddenly.

"Bring her to me," she heard Nate say.

Sadie turned back around quickly only to be taken off guard and grabbed by both arms by two guys that Nate had sent forward to get her.

Out of her peripheral vision Sadie saw Eames move forward and she turned her head to look at him just as he froze. Sadie saw the sudden look of fear in Ariadne's eyes and turned back to Nate and saw two other guys with their guns pointed at Ariadne and Eames. Well, this was getting more out of hand than Sadie had expected. But, not entirely.

"One move and you both die," Nate said warningly then looked back at Sadie. "Now bring her to me."

Sadie tried to wiggle her way out of the guys' grips as they started walking towards Nate pulling her with them. "Get your hands off me!" she hissed continuing to wiggle as much as she could.

"Now, now, Sadie. I call the shots remember," Nate said tauntingly.

And, that was all Sadie could take. It was time to put the pretending aside and show who was really in charge. Sadie laughed suddenly and while still moving in the grips of the guys on each of her arms said, "Yeah, actually, about that..."

Nate looked at her inquisitively.

Sadie stopped laughing just as quickly as she had started and said seriously, "There's only one problem, Nate."

Nate raised an eyebrow and asked, "And, what's that?"

Sadie smirked evilly. "You're not in control of this. I am," Sadie answered. "I've always been in control," she informed him after a moment of taking in the confused look on his face.

Nate questioned dumbfounded, "What?"

Sadie laughed again and basked in how shocked he is by the revelation. Instead of answering him she exclaimed as loud as she could, "Now!"

Almost instantly, the man on her left screamed out in agony and fell down hard to the ground, hands going straight to his stomach as a gunshot rung out throughout the night time air. Sadie used the other guys shock to her advantage and stomped as hard as she could on his foot, elbowing him in the face when he bent down moaning in pain. Sadie reached forward quickly and grabbed the gun out of his hands pointing it at him just in case he tried to stand back up and do something back to her.

"Hand Arthur over now," Sadie demanded in a level tone.

Nate looked shocked like he couldn't believe what was happening. He was probably trying to figure out how everything had turned on him so quickly. "Sadie..." he started.

Sadie cut him off hissing, "Now, Nate!" Angrily, Sadie kicked the guy in front of her in the face, "Lights out jackass!" knocking him out and then turned the gun on Nate "Before you get shot next!" she threatened.

Nate suddenly pushed Arthur forward.

Sadie steadily held the gun, aiming it at Nate as Eames moved forward to get Arthur, who was bruised all over and judging by how he was stumbling was still slightly drugged. "Sucks to be on the receiving end of evil itself doesn't it?" Sadie asked Nate still pointing the gun at him.

"Plan was a success," a voice said coming up beside her.

"I haven't been this happy about shooting someone in a while now," another voice said coming up on the other side of her.

"You remember my brothers, Ashton and Landon, don't you Nate?" Sadie asked him loving the scared, cowardly expression that was now on his face.

"What do you want us to do with that one, Sadie?" Landon asked.

Sadie smirked rather evilly at Nate. "Do you remember how all of this started Nate? You know back in Paris when we first met. You remember why we met in the first place?" Sadie asked him.

"To find out where your dad is," he answered realizing he had no other choice but to answer.

Sadie thought his answer through a bit and questioned in confusion, "Wait a second. Two years just to find out the location?"

"And, to find out more about why your dad stole the program," Nate admitted to her.

"Why would that have anything to do with me? What the hell is this program?" Sadie asked finding herself now suddenly left with more questions than answers.

Nate said nothing.

"Nate, what the hell is the program about?" Sadie asked again.

Nate angrily spat, "Find out yourself!"

That didn't settle very well with Sadie. "Fine," she said looking at her brothers. "Nate wants to know where dad is so badly...willing to waste two years of my life...take him to daddy," she told them.

Ashton nodded. "Will do baby sis."

Finally gaining the courage to speak again, Nate asked, "How'd you know?" He didn't have to be anymore specific for Sadie to know what he was referring to.

Sadie put the gun down by her side after making sure the safety was on and smiled at him. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Landon chose then to speak up with a smirk on his face, "I did some research."

"Can we move this along, please?" Ariadne asked, making her presence known. "We need to get Arthur to the hospital."

"Oh, of course," Sadie said handing the gun in her hand to Ashton. "You got this?" she asked turning to Landon.

Landon nodded. "You go do what you need to do."

"Yeah, leave the clean up to us," Ashton said.

"Thank you both," she smiled at each of them.

In unison they replied, "Anytime, sis."

\--------

After a hospital visit full of lies, lies, more lies, and paying a few doctors and nurses off they were all back at Arthur's hotel room. He wasn't 100% and against what he insisted they had talked him into laying low and playing it easy for a few days. He needed time to heal without the possibilities of adding insult to injury. Currently, he was drowsy and out on pain killers.

"I am higher than the sky right now!" Sadie exclaimed cheerfully, stretching out on the bed next to Arthur, more than happy to put Nate and his bullshit behind her. Whatever her dad decided to do to him was all his business now.

"Sadie, what was that all about?" Ariadne asked her sitting in one of the hotel chairs by the window while Eames sat in the other one.

Sadie shrugged nonchalantly and looked at her. "It's you two getting Arthur back and me finally getting to live the rest of my life Nate free!"

Ariadne is shocked and ignored Sadie's answer. "So, you played us in your own way, then?" Ariadne asked trying to make sense of the events from earlier.

Sadie shook her head. "No, well...I guess in a way...but, not really. I didn't come up with this plan until I found out Nate took Arthur and he told me why. I realized that as long as he's around things like this are very possibly going to continue to happen, so my brothers and I came up with a plan."

"When you showed up crying at my hotel room..." Eames spoke.

"They were fake tears...for the most part anyways," Sadie admitted.

"We were just a part of your own evil plan from that moment on?" Eames guessed.

Sadie answered with a hint of guilt in her voice. There was no point in lying about it now. "Just about."

After a few moments of silence Sadie spoke again and apologized, "I'm sorry I played you all. I really am. It's not like it was completely intentional. Well, okay, it kind of was. But, it wasn't to hurt you or anything. I really wasn't thinking much then about whether it would or wouldn't. When the plan came to me I just went with it."

"Why didn't you clue us in on it?" Eames asked her leaning forward resting his arms on his knees.

"Well, I just figured that some things are better kept within the family. And, I also still didn't trust you much anymore," Sadie told him.

"I'm family!" Ariadne exclaimed, sitting up in the chair, slightly hurt by Sadie's comment.

Sadie nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you are family. But, not to my dad. You're family on my mom's side, so it's not exactly the same."

"Yeah, I guess so," Ariadne said leaning back comfortably in the chair back into her previous position.

"Do you want to know why I really did it?" Sadie asked sitting up and crossing her legs Indian style.

"Of course," Ariadne wasted no time answering.

"He was going to kill you all, anyways, unless I came up with my own plan. So, that's what I did," Sadie confessed.

"What do you mean he was going to kill us, anyways?" Arthur asked, obviously awake now.

Sadie looked over her shoulder and Arthur and smiled. "Feeling any better?"

"Slightly," he answered. "Now, please, answer mine."

Sadie nodded and went on. "You remember when you killed the three guys that kidnapped me?" she asked looking from Arthur to Eames and then back to Arthur.

"How could we not?" Eames answered first with his own question.

"Yeah, but what does that have to do with anything?" Arthur asked a curious expression on his face.

Sadie gave it a moment before she answered. "Well, one of the guys that you killed was Nate's dad."

"How ironic," Ariadne cut in.

"Yeah, I know," Sadie said looking at her and then back to Arthur. "As it turns out he kidnapped you in order to lure Eames to him and to get back at me because he blames everything on me and because he's mad that I left him and went with Arthur."

"Of course, he did."

"Figures."

"Not surprising."

Sadie wasn't sure who replied which.

"So, let's just call ourselves even with all of this that happened," Sadie suggested breaking the silence that had taken over after she had dropped that bombshell on them. "You let this go and I'll continue to do my best and move on from the fact that you performed Inception on me. After all, after this I guess I can honestly say that I now understand the mind set you three were in when we were in Paris."

Ariadne and Eames looked at each other and then back at Sadie. "Fair enough," they both said.

"But, only because I'd rather not start another fight or something," Ariadne replied.

"And, because we can see where you're coming from," Eames added.

"Also, because I'm not really sure what's going on at the moment," Arthur said.

\--------

It was a little while later and Arthur had fallen asleep again. Ariadne decided that she had to go pack since she was heading back to Paris tomorrow. And, Eames had decided to go to the hotel bar since it was his last night in Miami. So, that only left Sadie.

"Are you coming Sadie?" Ariadne asked turning her head back to look at her.

Sadie looked over at Arthur's sleeping form and shook her head looking back at Ariadne and Eames standing at the door. "No, I'm gonna stay here," she answered.

"Alright, call me tomorrow," Ariadne smiled at her.

Sadie nodded. "I will."

Sadie could see the slight hurt in Eames' eyes when he and Ariadne left and tried to push it to the back of her mind. Right now she just needed to focus mainly on being there for Arthur. No matter how hard it was to try and forget the pained look in his eyes. She had definitely screwed up doing what she had done, but there was nothing she could do about it now.


	13. All I Have

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I was missing you  
> You were miles away  
> He was close to me  
> I let him stay  
> Then I closed my eyes  
> He almost felt the same  
> But when the morning broke  
> I cried out your name
> 
> If I'd only known  
> It would break us  
> I'd have done anything just to save us,"
> 
> \- The Veronicas
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Inception or its characters. I only own Sadie.

Sadie watched the tv half paying attention to the rerun episode of Friends that was on and half not. Every so often she'd glance over next to her at Arthur's sleeping form. She hadn't realized until now just how badly she had missed him all this time. As it turned out, she missed him way more than she'd like to admit. Honestly, it scared her how much she cared about him.

It almost scared her to the point where she was sure she'd end up trying to find a way out. An out that would get him as far away from her as possible. Therefore, she wouldn't be able to hurt him and he wouldn't be able to hurt her again. It was better he left her life now rather than later when she had fallen to the point of no return.

She'd gone through it once before and she wasn't ready to go through it again. Ever.

Sadie was taken out of her thoughts abruptly by the slight movement of the bed. She looked over and smiled upon seeing that Arthur was awake now. "Hi," she said, the smile growing when he smiled back at her.

Arthur sat up slowly and carefully and looked around. Then he looked over at her and asked, "Where are Ariadne and Eames?"

"They left. Ariadne went to pack since she's leaving for Paris tomorrow afternoon sometime. And, Eames went down to the bar," Sadie answered.

"Why didn't you go, too?"

Sadie shrugged. "I wanted to stay here," she assured him.

"You don't have to stay here, Sadie. You can go, too, if you have something else to do," Arthur told her.

"Yeah, I know, but I would rather stay here with you, instead."

After that they sat there in silence, watching the tv absentmindedly and glancing at each other every so often.

Arthur suddenly turned his head to look at her completely, and an apology came out, "I'm really sorry, Sadie."

Sadie looked back at him and nodded. The tv then forgotten. "I know you are." Then after a couple of seconds added, "Eames told me everything."

Arthur pulled away a bit and cocked an eyebrow. "He told you everything?"

"Yeah, he told me about Nate sort of reverse blackmailing you into having me find out what you did."

Silence fell between them for a moment or two before Sadie spoke up.

"Thank you," she said with a small smile.

"For what?" Arthur questioned slightly confused.

Sadie smiled. "You were willing to make me hate you for life to save mine."

Arthur smiled back, "Of course. Why wouldn't I?"

Sadie laughed. "Just say you're welcome."

"You're welcome."

"Good. I'm glad. Now what do you say we start making it up to me?" she asked with a smirk.

Arthur chuckled before he asked, "Are you suggesting we have forgiveness sex?"

Sadie gave him a weird look. "I never said that."

"No, but I can tell by the look on your face and the sound of your voice that that's what you were getting at?"

"Alright, yes. I was suggesting forgiveness sex. If that's what you want to call it," Sadie finally admitted.

Arthur laughed and shook her head. "You're insatiable, Sade," he smiled at her.

Sadie smiled back at him. She couldn't help but feel warm inside at him using a nickname for her. She didn't recall him ever calling her it before. "You should call me that more often. I like it coming from you."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"You better," Sadie replied jokingly.

There was a pause in the room.

"So, what do you say about forgiveness sex?" Sadie asked suggestively.

"Really, Sadie? Now?"

Sadie shrugged her shoulders. "Why not? Actions speak louder than words, right?"

Arthur laughed again. "That's what they say."

"Then, show me how much you're sorry," Sadie said with a fake pout on her face.

"Is sex all you ever think about to solve everything?" Arthur asked truly curious.

Sadie shook her head. "No, of course, not."

Truth was, sex was the only way Sadie could show how much she truly forgave him without giving too much of herself away. At first, it hadn't made much sense. But, the more Sadie thought about it the more she realized that physically she could give everything her body had to offer to someone. However, emotionally, she couldn't give what she could through sex on an emotional level. She just couldn't do it. Not again.

Sex was one thing. Emotions were another.

"You sure about that?" Arthur questioned her.

Sadie put on her best fake smile and lied straight through her teeth, "Yes, I'm sure."

"Absolutely sure?"

Sadie rolled her eyes feeling like she was in an interrogation room. She decided, then, to move everything along herself. "We could go on and on about this or we could just have sex."

Arthur sighed and smiled a brief smile at her, "As much as I would love to, I'm still in quite a bit of pain."

Sadie's mouth turned down in a frown. But then it turned into a smirk. "I'll be very gentle," she said in an assuring tone.

"I'm sure you will."

With a seductive smirk, Sadie said, "Oh, I will. I'll do everything. You just lay back and enjoy yourself."

Arthur laughed as Sadie slowly crawled down to kneel at the edge of the bed.

Sadie tugged at the legs of his sweat pants. "Lift up," she told him.

Arthur obliged and Sadie pulled them off.

Sadie raised an eyebrow with an appreciative look on her face when she saw he wasn't wearing anything else under the sweat pants. "Commando?" she asked chuckling.

Arthur shrugged. "I was too drugged to put any on."

Sadie laughed and nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah, you were pretty drugged."

After taking off her shoes and discarding her own jeans and panties she crawled back up Arthur's body and straddled his waist. Sadie reached over to her purse on the nightstand and pulled out a foil packet. Then, she through her purse next to them on the bed.

Arthur raised an eyebrow at her as if to ask why she was getting one this time when usually she didn't bother with a condom because of her unfortunate situation.

Sadie shrugged her shoulders and said nonchalantly, "I don't want to get sticky."

Arthur nodded his head in understanding and cracked a small smile. "Are we doing this dry?" he asked curiously.

Sadie shook her head no and pressed two fingers against his lips. "Suck," she ordered.

Arthur obliged, a look of lust overtaking his facial expressions.

Sadie couldn't help but moan when he sucked her fingers into his mouth, coating them with his saliva. She could feel herself starting to get wet at the sight and feel. She glanced down to find Arthur half hard. Sadie looked back up at Arthur, and with a smirk on her face she reached down with her free hand and grabbed him.

Her fingers fell out of his mouth when he gasped at the sudden contact. With another mischievous smirk, Sadie took her saliva slickened fingers, and without breaking away from Arthur's gaze slid her fingers inside of her, moaning at the feeling of being filled. Arthur watched her with heavy lidded eyes, not once taking his eyes off of her. Nor did she take her eyes off of him.

It was then that Sadie realized she was in no mood to draw this out. Impatiently, Sadie jerked Arthur to a full on erection all the while frantically thrusting her fingers in and out of herself, stretching herself for him. Only a few more thrusts of her fingers and she dubbed herself ready. She didn't have enough control to put it off any longer.

Sadie took her fingers out of herself and ripped open the condom package in a hurry. She wasted no time sliding it onto him and then she positioned herself over him. She slowly started to lower herself onto him. But, then stopped when she realized that wasn't what she wanted. Something wasn't right about this arrangement.

"Can you sit up?" Sadie asked leaning back away from him.

"Yes, why?"

"Sit up and lean back against the headboard," Sadie told him ignoring the question directly.

With a little bit of effort, Arthur did what she told him, too.

"Better," Sadie smiled at him, once again positioning herself over him, holding him steady as she slid herself down onto him with a content and happy sigh. "Now, I can do this without leaning over," she said leaning forward to capture his lips in a gentle yet passionate kiss.

Sadie let herself adjust to him inside of her before slowly moving up and down his length and rocking her hips into his. She set a slow and pleasurable pace even though it wasn't what she was use to. She was worried that if she went as hard as she usually did she'd end up hurting Arthur more than he already was. Hell, they probably shouldn't even be doing this much, but they were.

"I missed this with you," Sadie confessed when she pulled away from him, leaning her forehead against his.

"So did I," Arthur admitted trying to control his breathing as Sadie continuously allowed him to slip almost all the way out of her only to drop back down. "You can go a little bit harder, you know. I won't break," Arthur told her sensing that the pace was too slow for Sadie.

Sadie looked at him doubtfully and asked, "Are you sure?"

Arthur nodded. "I'm sure. Don't worry, it'll be fine."

Sadie smiled at him before quickening the pace a bit and kissing him again. Oh, god, how she'd missed this. How she missed him. It scared her how much she missed him really. When she thought she'd never see him again...it was almost too much. She couldn't allow herself to get this involved with a guy again. It wasn't safe for either of them.

Sadie was stolen from her thoughts then by the feeling of Arthur's fingers pinching her clit and then him rubbing her vigorously with his thumb. With the pace they were now moving and the constant pressure and speed of his thumb it wasn't long before Sadie came with a shout and a loud pleasurable moan that she could care less if anyone heard.

A few moments later, egged on by the clenching of Sadie's walls around him, Arthur came, too.

Sadie collapsed forward against his chest and sighed happily. She smiled when she felt him kiss the top of her head. As much as Sadie wished she could stay like this forever, she knew she couldn't. With a groan of protest from Arthur, Sadie pulled off of him and dropped down beside him, allowing him the chance to move down the bed and lie on his back.

Sadie watched as Arthur took the condom off of himself, tied it off, and then threw it into the trash bin beside the bed. She laid back and stared at the ceiling for a few moments thinking about what she...well, they had just done. Maybe it was too soon to have jumped back into bed with him? Of course, she'd be the one to think of such a thing after it had already happened and not before.

"You should get some sleep," Sadie said suddenly as she rolled out of bed and got dressed. "I'm going to go get that drink now," she told him.

Arthur only mumbled a silent okay since he was already half asleep.

Sadie smiled at him and leaned over to press a chaste kiss to his lips before heading for the bar where she was sure Eames still was.

**~Unbroken~**

Sadie smiled widely as she sat down next to Eames at the bar. She ordered herself a drink and then sipped at it. It wasn't until Eames spoke up that she actually looked over at him. Part of her had yelled at her to just go straight home and skip talking to him because surely he'd know what happened. The other part of her scolded her and made it clear that she had to just face him and clear it all up now. The latter won and here she was. Here she was with Eames asking about what she already knew he knew.

"I take it you and Arthur made up?"

Sadie nodded her head. "Yeah, we did." Sadie answered, sipping at her drink again. "Well, sort of," she added, referring to the fact that they weren't back together or anything.

Eames didn't reply at first. But, when he did, Sadie couldn't help but be confused. "It's up to you whether you tell him or not."

Sadie raised a eyebrow and asked curiously, "What are you talking about, Eames?"

Eames didn't buy her confusion. "You know exactly what I'm talking about, Sadie."

Sadie thought about it more and realized he was right. She did know what he was talking about. But, she chose to keep playing dumb, anyways. "No, I really don't. There are many things..."

Eames cut her off with a warning tone, "Sadie."

Sadie sighed then and admitted conversational defeat. "Yeah, I know."

"If you want to keep it a secret from him, then I'll go along with it. If you want to tell him, then I'll be waiting for the punches to swing," Eames told her after a minute or so.

"He wouldn't..." Sadie started but then stopped.

Eames nodded to confirm what Sadie was already aware of. "You know he would over you, love," he said as his way of trying to end the conversation then.

"Yeah, that's true he probably would over me."

Eames shook his head. "There's no probably to it."

After that neither of them said anything for a few minutes.

"I should tell him," Sadie broke the silence with her decision.

Eames nodded in agreement. "It'd be best."

"I'll be back," she told him, knowing already how the confession would end.

She slid off the bar stool and made her way back up to Arthur's hotel room.

**~Unbroken~**

Sadie made a list of pros and cons in her head the entire way up to Arthur's hotel room. Neither side of the list was good. But, something had to be done. it was now or never. She had screwed up hugely. Why did she have to go and sleep with him again? It was too soon. They both should've known it. And, they both probably had. But, neither of them had done anything to stop it from happening.

Now Sadie was about to screw it all up even more by telling Arthur the truth about what had happened with her and Eames when Arthur wasn't around. It wasn't fair to anyone for it to be left a secret. Sadie knew she had to clear the air between them, even though it was probably easier said then done. She just couldn't not tell him and then have the guilt eat her from the inside out for the rest of her life.

Once at his hotel room door, Sadie took a deep breath and let it out before raising a fist and knocking on the door. He was asleep when she'd left, but he wasn't that hard of a sleeper, so she was sure he'd hear her knock. She didn't want to wake him and bother him now, but she hadn't even thought to get the extra room key from him before she'd left earlier.

"I have to tell you something," Sadie said as soon as he opened the door, pushing her way gently past him into the room. She turned to look at him once she was inside and he had closed the door. "And, I know I should've probably told you it sooner. Preferably before we had sex earlier...but, I didn't...but, now I am..."

"Is everything okay?" Arthur asked cutting off her rambling.

Sadie shrugged her shoulders and answered, "It depends on your definition of okay. Some would say yes, everything is okay. Others, on the other hand, would say no this doesn't classify as okay. But, I'm not sure which this is. Some or others?"

"Sadie, where are you getting at?" Arthur asked with a concerned expression on his face.

Sadie took a deep breath. It was now or never. "Well, while you were missing...umm..." Sadie stopped and swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat.

"What is it, Sadie?" Arthur asked taking a step towards her.

Instinctively, Sadie backed up and started stuttering, "I...umm...I, umm...," before finally blurting out without taking a single breath, "IhadsexwithEames!"

Arthur's facial expression turned to shock and hurt as he stepped back away from her, but said nothing at first. Then, he asked, "Was it just a one time thing?"

Sadie looked down at the ground and shook her head no. It definitely hadn't been just once. "I'm so sorry, Arthur. It's not like we were together at the time or anything. But, then we had sex earlier and then I talked to Eames and I just felt like you should know."

"You talked to Eames?"

Sadie nodded. "He sort of convinced me to tell you."

There was total silence between them for a few moments before Arthur asked, "Do you feel something for him? Something more than whatever you thought you felt when we were together?"

"I don't...I umm...I...yeah...yeah, I do," Sadie finally admitted biting her lower lip hard enough to draw blood.

More silence filled the room and this time no one broke it for at least five minutes. Sadie kept her eyes on the floor, looking up only for a second when she heard a noise to find Arthur turning around and walking towards the hotel room window, and then she looked back at the floor in shame.

She hadn't meant for any of this to happen. But, it had. And, it wasn't right to her, to Arthur, or even to Eames not to be honest about everything. It may not be the best situation to be in, but it was the right one.

"Umm...I'm just gonna go. I'll give you some space and I guess time to think about this," Sadie said finally before turning and leaving in complete silence.

Arthur didn't follow her or even try to stop her from leaving. Even though, Sadie wanted nothing more than for him to do so. But, really what did she expect to happen after the bombshells she dropped on him. There was no way everything would just simply be fine after that. The door closed behind her as Sadie made her way down the hall. Before she realized where she was going she found herself back at the bar.

"I told him," Sadie said walking up to where Eames was still sitting at the bar, but didn't sit. She wasn't staying.

"And?" Eames asked turning his head to look at her.

"And, he didn't say anything. He gave me the silent treatment for five minutes and I left," Sadie answered with a frown. "Just steer clear from him for a while. After all, it's the quiet ones you have to watch out for. And, he's quieter than usual."

With that Sadie turned and left quickly without another word or glance back.


	14. Don't Ask Why

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I remember the day I first met you  
> You really caught my attention  
> Didn't know I was looking for a rescue  
> I wasn't thinking that hard
> 
> Now and then I was there in the moment  
> I was ready for nothing  
> Doesn't mean that I really didn't love you  
> While I'm breaking your heart
> 
> Don't ask why before we get too close  
> Just let me say goodbye, it's easier this way  
> Don't ask why before you ask some question  
> And I die inside, just let me walk away,"
> 
> \- Vanessa Anne Hudgens
> 
> So, here it is...the final chapter!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Inception or its characters. I only own Sadie.

Sadie had gotten no sleep at all that night. She had sex with Arthur last night. She had sex with Eames the night before and the night before that. Did that make her a slut? She confessed the truth to Arthur. He didn't say anything to her after her confession. He probably hated her at that point. There was just too much running through her mind for sleep to happen at all. The whole night had been full of tossing and turning.

By time Sadie finally had enough and called it quits, it was about eight in the morning. Sleep deprived and angry with herself, Sadie forced herself out of bed and went straight to the phone. She needed some girl time and advice. Even if the advice wouldn't exactly be on the right side of the truth. Sadie knew she'd have to lie to get the advice, but at this point she'd do whatever she had to.

Sadie dialed Ariadne's number and waited for her to pick up.

"Morning, Sadie," Ariadne said. "Is everything...umm...okay?"

Ariadne knew her too well. Almost way too well.

"When exactly are you going back to Paris?" Sadie asked ignoring her question.

"My flight is later today. Why?"

Okay, good. There was time.

"Do you have enough time to have breakfast with me?" Sadie asked pacing back and forth in front of the coffee table, not being able to stand still for even a second.

"Yeah, I think so. What's up?"

Sadie sighed. "I need to talk about something? Can  you meet me at Manhattan Cafe?"

"Umm...sure, is everything okay?" Ariadne asked with concern evident in her voice.

"Yes," Sadie lied. "No," Sadie corrected herself seconds later. "Well I don't know really," Sadie admitted another few seconds later. "You know what...just meet me at Manhattan Cafe, please."

"I don't know where that is."

"Call a cab. The driver where know where it is," Sadie said. "I'll see in an hour or so."

"Umm...Okay, you, too."

With that they both hung up at the same time.

**~Unbroken~**

An hour or so later, Ariadne and Sadie sat at the Manhattan Cafe in silence, having already ordered their food.

"So, what was it you needed to talk about?" Ariadne asked breaking the silence between them.

Sadie had spent the whole time waiting for Ariadne planning out what she was going to say. As far as she could tell, it sounded like a good enough story to go with.

Taking a deep breath, Sadie started, "Alright, so I have this friend."

"Do I know this friend that you're referring to?" Ariadne asked with an eyebrow raised.

Sadie shook her head no. "I don't think you've ever met her before," Sadie said, freaking out on the inside, but keeping calm on the outside. "But, anyways, she's in this situation where she likes two guys, and she's slept with both and they both know that she has, but one isn't happy about it while the other I guess feels used...blah, blah, blah..." Sadie let it all out taking only a quick breather before finishing it off. "All in all, my friend asked me what she should do about it."

"Umm...Sadie..." Ariadne hesitantly started. "You know I'm not a real relationship expert. Why are you talking to me about this?"

Sadie shrugged nonchalantly. "Because you may not be a relationship guru, but you do have good advice about things," she said with a smile. "I think this might be one of them."

"I don't know, Sadie. I'm not..." Ariadne continued to seem hesitant about the situation.

"She just wants to know if she should choose one of them or should she do something else about it," Sadie tried again, leaning forward on the table with her hands clapped together. "But, I don't know what to tell her."

Sadie's stomach was doing cart wheels as she hoped and prayed that Ariadne would give her something to work with.

After a few seconds of silence, Ariadne broke it.

"Alright, fine," she sighed. "I'll give this a go."

Sadie smiled and nodded urging her on, "Please do."

Ariadne took in a breath, and let it out, before she began, "If I were your friend, which I'm not..."

"Obviously," Sadie replied jokingly.

Ariadne glared at her.

Sadie put her hands up in mock surrender as she sat back in her. "Oh, sorry."

Ariadne nodded as her way of accepting Sadie's apology. "Any who, if I were your friend I'd choose neither of them."

Hmm, alright, well...that wasn't what Sadie had been expecting. Sadie raised an eyebrow and asked, "You wouldn't? Why not?"

"Because to choose one of them would be selfish," Ariadne answered simply, as if it were the easiest answer to give.

"How so?" Sadie questioned, extremely curious of what made Ariadne answer with the answer she gave.

"If she chooses one of them then she's being selfish by putting her happiness ahead of the others," Ariadne explained.

Sadie still couldn't grasp what Ariadne was saying. "I'm not sure I get what you mean."

Ariadne sighed seeming a bit agitated. It was obvious that this talk wasn't something she was entirely comfortable with.

"I mean, it's not fair to any of the people involved if one is chosen, the other isn't, and the one doing the choosing knows that while she's happy with one of the guys, the other guy isn't happy," Ariadne explained her way of thinking.

Sadie didn't reply at first, but then nodding in understanding. "Hmm...I guess that makes sense."

Before either of them could say anything their food came. It wasn't hard to tell that both Sadie and Ariadne were relieved to be able to forget about their conversation now and put it behind them. Well, Ariadne could. But, Sadie would have to think it through more before she went to see the guys later.

**~Unbroken~**

After lunch with Ariadne, and saying goodbye to her Sadie reluctantly made her way to the hotel to see Arthur. She was extremely anxious and nervous and it took her everything she had in her not to turn back and run away to go hide somewhere for the rest of her life.

Sadie took a deep breath before she entered the hotel. The hotel where she'd more than likely be leaving her heart. She knew going into this that it wouldn't turn out for the best. But, what could she do now? What was done was done and there was no way to go back.

Sadie made her way into the hotel and walked the familiar path to the elevator. She waited, with her arms crossed and foot tapping against her will against the floor. When the elevator doors opened, Sadie's eyes widened and her breath caught in her throat. She hadn't been expecting to run into him.

"You're leaving?" Sadie asked looking from Eames' hand to his face.

"Yeah, I'm going to go lay low for a while," he answered managing to avoid looking right at Sadie at all costs.

Sadie frowned and felt a part of her heart shatter. "Why?" she asked curiously, pushing the hurt she felt aside for now.  
"You're not in any trouble or anything, are you?" she asked slightly worried all of a sudden.

Eames shook his head. "No, not exactly," he answered hesitantly. "But, I'm going to keep my distance from Arthur for a while."

Sadie gulped. "Oh, right, Arthur."

"I'm sure he doesn't want to see me anytime soon and there's no point in sticking around any longer," Eames explained.

Sadie didn't say anything right away, but then, not being able to stop herself she asked, "Am I going to see you again?"

Eames raised an eyebrow and finally looked right at her. "You want to see me again? What happened to going back to how it was with you trying to move on?"

Ah, Sadie hadn't even remembered that she said that not too long ago. Sadie shrugged and answered, "I guess that got lost when I put myself in a similiar position like the one you were in Paris."

"Wouldn't seeing me again ruin things with you and Arthur again?" Eames asked curiously.

"No, because there is nothing with me and Arthur," she answered with a sad sigh.

Eames looked taken back by what she'd just said. He wasn't expecting that. "There's not?" he dared to ask.

Sadie shook her head sadly. "No," she said not being able to hide the sadness in her tone. "And, there's nothing with you and me either. We're just friends or acquaintances," Sadie felt like she had to add.

"Just friends?" Eames chuckled. "Aren't you the one that got mad at me before because I called us just friends?"

Sadie nodded. "Yeah, I was," she confirmed. "But, now I see it in a different light and I've realized that it wouldn't be fair to you, me, or Arthur for me to be anything other than friends with either of you."

"Is that what you're going to tell Arthur?" he asked her.

"Yeah," Sadie answered. "Well, that's if he'll even open the door for me."

"I'm sure he will."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that," she disagreed.

They stood there in silence for a few moments.

"I should go now," Eames said breaking the silence.

Sadie nodded. "Alright, well, take care."

"Always do," he replied sarcastically.

Sadie couldn't help but laugh. "Kind of hard to believe that."

"I'm still alive now, aren't I?"

"Good point," Sadie said, feeling a small smile take place on her face, but only for a brief moment.

Eames placed a hand on her shoulder in a friendly manner. "You take care, too."

"I will," Sadie smiled another brief smile. "Thanks for everything Eames."

"Anytime, love," he said walking past her and making his way to the front desk to check out.

Sadie sighed before entering the elevator and pressing the button that would take her to her last destination for the day before she could go home and eat ice cream, watch chick flicks, and cry about how much she screwed everything up, unintentionally, along the way.

**~Unbroken~**

Sadie took a deep breath as she knocked on the door to Arthur's hotel room.

A few seconds or so later, the door opened.

He frowned when he saw that it was Sadie standing there. "What are you doing here, Sadie?" he asked turning to go back to whatever he was doing before.

"I came to apologize," Sadie forced herself to say, walking into the room and closing the door behind her.

"For what?" Arthur asked, not bothering to even look at her.

"You know what for," Sadie whispered just loud enough that he could hear her.

Arthur shrugged. "There's nothing to apologize for," he said. "We weren't together," he added after a moment.

"I know, but it wasn't fair to you for me to be hooking up with Eames while we should have been getting to you sooner," Sadie couldn't fight the urge to explain her need to apologize.

Arthur shrugged again. "You did what you did. There's no changing it now."

"I know there isn't," Sadie frowned at his need to speak the truth even though she already knew it and he knew she knew it. It just made Sadie feel even worse than she already did. "But, I can at least apologize for it all."

"Yes, you could, but would it really help anything?" Arthur brought up a valid point.

"I guess it'd depend," Sadie sighed.

There was an awkward silence in the room.

"So, umm...I think...maybe it'd be best if we just all stay friends...I guess you could say. Or acquaintances...whatever we are. It's just not fair to any of us for me to be with one of you while feeling the way I do about the other as well. We're just all better off alone as opposed to being in that situation," Sadie spoke, not being able to deal with the silence for too long.

"I agree that it's for the best," he nodded his head, but still wouldn't look at her.

Realizing that this was how the situation would continue, Sadie turned back to the door, "Alright, well...I guess I'll see you around, then."

"You never know."

Sadie stopped suddenly and turned around. "I never did get to thank you."

Arthur finally stopped packing and turned to look at her. "For what?" he asked cluelessly.

"For paying off my hospital bill," Sadie said. "From when I got the bullet taken out," she added, even though she knew it wasn't necessary.

Arthur shrugged his shoulders yet again. "Don't mention it. It was the least I could do."

"Alight, well...it was good to see you again," Sadie repeated from moments before. "And, I hope that one day we can both move past this."

Arthur nodded his head in agreement. "Maybe, one day," he offered Sadie a hint of hope.

Then Sadie turned to leave, yet again. But once again stopped and turned around. "Oh, and one more thing."

"What?" Arthur asked, sounding harsher than he was going for.

"Don't blame Eames for what happened when you were gone," Sadie answered sadly.

Arthur didn't reply.

"I'm the one who seduced him, and he just acted like any normal guy that was put in his position would," Sadie offered as her last shot of fixing things between Arthur and Eames.

Arthur still said nothing so Sadie turned and actually left this time.

Sadie couldn't help the pain in her heart when she closed the door behind her and leaned back against it. She hated feeling like this. It was as if a part of her had died. There wasn't many pieces left to her since she'd already felt the pain and lost a piece of herself once before.

Sadie wasn't sure if she had much more left in her for any of this. Maybe she was just meant to be by herself for life. Maybe being happy with someone just wasn't for her. After all, there was a plan for everyone, right. Maybe that was the plan for her all along.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is another sequel...which would make this a trilogy. The sequel will be called Aftershock. But, it may take a while for me to post it. If I post it at all. So, that's why I've left this one with an ending that could either stay a complete ending or be a kind of lead to the next.


End file.
